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 10
Spike hung up the phone and sighed. He couldn't believe that Angel had just hung up on him like that. He looked over at Buffy who had a small smile on her face.
"So, I guess you got a hold of Angel?" Buffy asked.
Spike nodded. "Cordelia had just gotten there. He hung up on me when she walked in."
"Well, at least we know she made it there." Buffy offered.
"True." Spike agreed. "And she is safe."
"Right." Buffy nodded. "But what about Xander?"
"We don't tell him." Spike said. "I'm afraid he'll go after her and maybe do something if he finds out she went after Angel."
Buffy nodded in agreement. "Xander can be irrational sometimes."
"He seems it." Spike said. And it didn't make sense to Spike at all. In the old reality Xander was a lot of things, but he had never raised a hand to a woman or been as deceptive as he was in this reality. Spike didn't want to admit it, but he liked the old Xander much better.
"Yeah." Buffy stood. "Things will blow over eventually. So you wanna go out for pizza or something?"
Spike looked up at Buffy. "Right now?"
"Yeah." Buffy smiled at Spike, pulling him up by his arm. "You did a good thing, sending Cordelia to Angel. You deserve a reward."
Spike smiled back at her. "And that would be pizza?"
"Maybe a little more." Buffy kissed him gently. "If you're lucky."
Spike smiled down at her, taking her by the hand and leading her out the front door of the mansion. Things seemed to be finally right. He was with Buffy and Angel had Cordelia now.
Angel stood at his spot by the counter as Cordelia stepped into the lobby. He was amazed that she was there. After all that had happened back at Sunnydale he was sure he had lost her yet again.
"Cordelia? What are you doing here?" Angel stepped toward Cordelia and to his surprise, she rushed into his embrace. A moment later he heard her sniffle and realized she was crying. He quickly looked down at her. "Cordelia? What happened? What's wrong?"
"I'm so sorry." Cordelia clung to his shirt. "You were right, I didn't want to believe you, but you were right."
"Cordelia, slow down." Angel led her to the couch. "What was I right about?"
Cordelia took a deep breath, wiping up her tears as Angel took a seat next to her. "Xander. He was cheating on me."
Angel nodded, looking at his hands. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
Cordelia looked over at Angel to see he was genuinely sorry. For some reason, seeing him feel bad for her relaxed her a little. "Don't be." She ran her finger gently across his wrist. "It's better I found out."
Angel looked over at her and smiled sadly. "I wish it had been early…"
Cordelia laughed bitterly. "Yeah, maybe then I wouldn't have slept with him."
Angel looked remorseful at Cordelia's words, but said nothing. He knew her well enough to know she was not done talking yet.
"I don't know what I was thinking that night. I just wanted to prove to myself that what I had with Xander was real." She gazed ahead as she continued talking, trying to fight back tears of regret. "I guess I thought if he really loved me then he would have waited for me. I gave myself to him that night and he shoved it back in my face. I can't believe I was that stupid…"
"You're not stupid." Angel took Cordelia by the hand. "I know you well enough to know that."
"But that's what's so funny, Angel." Cordelia looked at him. "You don't know me at all."
That stung. Angel felt it. It was like a stake through the heart for the ex-vampire. He knew Cordelia better then anyone knew her. She just didn't remember. "Cordelia, I just meant…"
"And that's why me being here is so ridiculous." Cordelia stood.
Angel's eyes grew wide. "What? Wait?" He stood also. "You're not leaving are you?"
Cordelia turned back to Angel. "I don't know. I came after you because I felt that I needed to be with you for some reason. It doesn't even make sense to me, but it's not fair of me to just assume that you want me around."
"Why wouldn't I want you here?"
"After what I did to you?"
"You didn't do anything to me, Cordelia." Angel assured her.
"Sure I did." Cordelia sighed. "I am the reason you and Buffy broke up, the reason you and Xander aren't friends anymore." Cordelia paused for a moment, and then added. "I'm the reason you left Sunnydale, aren't I?"
"I left for many reasons, Cordelia. But it wasn't your fault." Angel was careful not to call her Cordy, although it hurt his tongue to say Cordelia. Cordy was his best friend, his soul mate, the woman he loved; Cordelia was a shadow of that woman, the young naïve high school girl who did not understand how important she was to Angel.
"I know it sounds crazy, but I can't go back to Sunnydale." Cordelia told him. "I feel like I belong here, in L.A. with you. I can't explain it."
Angel smiled. He wanted Cordelia there with him more than anything, but it had to be her choice. "Are you sure?"
Cordelia nodded. "I can't go back home. And not just because of Xander…"
"Wait, what would Xander have to do with it?" Angel asked. "Aside from the fact that he cheated on you."
"He came over the mansion looking for me this morning. Spike steered him off, but you should have heard him, Angel. I don't think I've ever seen him that mad before."
"What did he have to be mad at? He cheated on you."
"I know." Cordelia sighed. "But you know Xander."
"No, I really don't." Angel said, and that was the truth; he had not known Xander in the old reality and he especially didn't know him in this one.
"He can get angry sometimes…"
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Angel asked immediately.
"No." Cordelia shook her head. "I didn't stay around long enough to give him the chance."
Angel nodded. "And he'll never get the chance." Angel moved closer to Cordelia. "I'll keep you safe."
"You don't have to watch out for me if you don't want to, Angel." Cordelia told him, her heartbeat increases as the distance between her and Angel decreased.
"I want you to stay here, with me, Cordelia." Angel told her.
"Call me Cordy…" Cordelia said as more of a statement then a question before she felt her lips connect with his.
The kiss was the same as it had been back at the mansion and, before that, back at Wolfram and Hart; full of passion and desperation. Both Angel and Cordelia were so wrapped up in their kiss that neither of them heard the front door open.
"Hello there…oh my." Wesley's voice startled Angel and Cordelia, causing them to pull apart for each other.
"Wesley!" Angel seemed rather surprised.
"I'm so sorry, Angel." Wesley apologized, as he turned red with embarrassment. "I didn't know you were going to have company tonight."
"It's fine." Angel assured his old friend who could not remember him. "I didn't know she was coming." He motioned to Cordelia. "But Wesley, this is Cordelia Chase."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Chase." Wesley nodded at Cordelia. "I'm Wesley Wyndam-Pryce."
Cordelia studied Wesley for a moment before nodding. "Nice to meet you too." She felt as though she knew the Englishman standing in front of her; she just couldn't remember from where.
"I'll be off to my room now." Wesley was clearly embarrassed as he made his way up the stairs and down the hall.
When the door to Wesley's room shut, Cordelia turned to Angel. "Who was that?"
"Wesley." Angel said. "He needed a place to stay while here on business. He knows Buffy so…"
"Friend of hers?" Cordelia asked.
"Not exactly." Angel told her. "He knows Buffy from work."
"Buffy doesn't work."
"She kind of does."
Cordelia raised an eyebrow.
"I'll explain." Angel told her. "It might take a while though." He motioned to the couch.
Cordelia nodded and made her way back to the couch with Angel following close behind her. Angel took a deep breath; he was about to explain the world of demons and vampires and slayers to Cordelia. Those were things the old Cordelia had faced daily without so much as a flinch, but Angel wasn't sure how Cordelia would handle them now since she could not remember her past.
Spike entered the pizzeria a few steps behind Buffy. He was glad that Cordelia had made it to L.A. safe and that he was now hanging out with Buffy. Things seemed to be working out for both Spike and Angel.
Buffy and Spike slid into a booth in the back of the store. Spike had his back to the door and didn't understand why, when Buffy looked up at him, she got a nervous look on her face.
"Buffy? What is it?" Spike asked the girl sitting across from him.
Buffy nodded toward the door. "Xander just walked in."
Spike turned in his seat to see that Xander had in fact just entered the pizzeria. He then turned back to Buffy. "Great…"
"What should we do?" Buffy asked as she saw Xander spot her and begin to make his way over toward her and Spike.
"Nothing. Act like you know nothing." Spike told her.
Buffy nodded just as Xander approached the table.
"Hey Xander." Buffy acted naturally.
"Hey Buffy." Xander smiled at her and then turned to Spike. "Spike?"
"Yeah?" Spike looked up at Xander.
"I just drove past your place. Cordelia's car is gone." Xander gave a fake smile.
Spike looked surprised. "Really?"
"Really." Xander told him. "Do you know where Cordelia or her car went?"
Spike looked at Buffy and then back at Xander. "No. I've been out with Buffy all day."
Xander looked over at Buffy, who nodded.
"He has been." Buffy lied for Spike.
Xander sighed, he wasn't sure if he believed Spike, but he knew Buffy wouldn't lie to him. He then took a seat next to Buffy, burying his head in his hands.
Buffy looked at Xander and then at Spike, raising an eyebrow at Spike who shrugged at her.
Buffy placed a hand awkwardly on Xander's back. "Xander, what's wrong?"
Xander looked up at Buffy. "Cordelia's gone. She caught me in a bad situation last night and now she left. No one knows where she is. I even went by her house. Her parents are home from their vacation and they said she left them no note. Nothing. They said if they don't hear from her soon they are going to the police."
Spike raised an eyebrow. "The police?"
Xander nodded. "I told them Angel probably had something to do with it."
"What?" Spike wanted to reach across the table and slam Xander's head a few times. "Angel is gone."
"And so is Cordelia now." Xander told him.
"So what?" Buffy asked. "You think Angel kidnapped her or something?"
"I don't know. The cops said they will start an official search if she doesn't show up in three days."
"You know Angel had nothing to do with this." Spike told Xander.
Xander stood, shrugging. "I don't know that. All I know is my girlfriend is missing now."
"You told me she wasn't your girlfriend earlier." Spike reminded him.
"She will be when I get her back." Xander told him.
"What happened that made her run off anyway?" Buffy asked Xander, already knowing what had gone on.
"She caught me and Faith at a bad time. We were just working on our project." Xander lied.
"Oh, I see…" Buffy nodded, but she knew Xander was lying, and that bothered her.
Xander nodded, looking back at Spike. "So, if Angel calls let him know the cops will be after him in a few days."
Spike said nothing as he watched Xander walk out of the pizzeria. He just kept his jaw clenched tight.
"Spike?" Buffy reached her hand out and touched his wrist, causing Spike to turn back to her. "Things are going to be okay."
Spike shook his head. "Xander can't just accuse Angel like that."
"Everything will sort itself out." Buffy tried to assure him.
"You know things could get bad for Angel fast, right? I mean, if Xander can convince Cordelia's parents that Angel forced Cordelia to go with him? It wouldn't matter what Cordelia said either, no one would listen." Spike said.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Cordelia's family has a lot of power and rarely listen to her."
"And Angel has nothing." Spike added. It was true, Angel had nothing more in this reality then he had in the last; no family, no power, no one who could save him if Cordelia's parents did accuse him.
"This could get bad." Buffy agreed. "We should call Angel."
"And worry him? No one is after him yet." Spike asked. "What if someone is tapping our wire or following us or something?"
Buffy nodded, realizing that could be a possibility since Spike and Buffy were the two people closes to Cordelia and Angel. "Maybe we should go to Giles." She suggested. "He might know what to do."
Spike nodded in agreement. Giles always seemed to know the right thing to do in any situation in the past reality. Spike hoped that in the present one Giles was the same. They really needed his help right now.
Angel sat next to Cordelia. He had just told her that vampires had once existed and demons still did. He also told her Buffy was the Slayer and Wesley worked for the Watcher's Council. He was now waiting for her reaction.
After a moment, Cordelia turned back to Angel. "You know something?"
"What?" Angel asked her.
"I'm not really surprised or freaked out by any of this. I mean, I think I should be." Cordelia said. "But I'm not. It's like I kind of already knew all of this."
Angel raised an eyebrow, wondering if Cordelia was remembering some part of her past. "Really?"
Cordelia nodded. "Yeah. It's like the feeling I had before I decided to come here to find you. I…I can't explain it."
Angel studied Cordelia a little more. "Why did you decide to come after me?"
Cordelia shrugged, trying to hide her blush.
The red in her cheeks forced a sad grin to dance across Angel's lips. Cordelia, his Cordelia, never blushed. She had too much self-confidence to blush. It was one of the things that made him fall so hard for her.
"Well, besides Xander cheating on me, I don't know." Cordelia took Angel's hand in hers. "I felt like I needed to be with you. I don't know why, but I can't imagine my life without you now."
Angel smiled back at her, gripping her hand a little tighter in his. "I know the feeling."
"Really?" Cordelia gave Angel her 100-watt smile that had always made him melt. "Well good, because I happen to have some real feelings for you, Liam Angel."
Angel smiled back at her. "Just call me Angel." He then moved in and kissed her. "Now, Miss Chase." He stood. "Do you want to go out for a nice walk in this lovely city of ours?" He held out his hand.
Cordelia took his hand and stood, allowing Angel to lead her out to the street where they made their way down to the park a few blocks over.
Angel and Cordelia had been walking in the park for five minutes, hand in hand, before Angel felt as if they were being watched. He stopped suddenly, causing Cordelia to look at him.
"What's wrong, Angel?" Cordelia asked.
Angel remained silent, looking around. He hated not having his vampire senses, he felt as though someone was there, he just couldn't tell where. Then, suddenly, he turned around and was relieved to see who was behind them.
Cordelia on the other hand, wasn't relieved as she saw Gunn, standing a few feet behind them. She gripped Angel's hand tighter, whispering to the ex-vampire. "What do you think he wants? Money?"
Angel realized Cordelia was reacting to Gunn's street look. Angel studied Gunn for a minute, realizing his former best friend did look a lot tougher then Angel previously remembered.
"No. He doesn't want anything." Angel assured Cordelia and then motioned to Gunn. "What's up?"
Gunn seemed hesitant, but then took a step toward Angel. "Angel, right?"
Angel nodded. "Yeah. Do you need help or something?"
Gunn looked away and then back at Angel, digging his hands in his pockets. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't." Angel told him. "I can't say I like being followed but…"
"Well, you scared the hell out of me." Cordelia told Gunn.
"Sorry." Gunn apologized to the woman he didn't remember and who didn't remember him either. He then looked back at Angel. "I need your help. I don't even know if you can help me. I just, I had a feeling you could."
Angel nodded. "What is it?"
"My sister…the one you saved?" Gunn seemed to choke on his own words.
"Yeah?" Angel didn't like the sound in Gunn's voice. "Did something happen?"
Gunn nodded. "I left her back at our place. I shouldn't have, but I didn't know…an animal must have gotten in the police said. It bit her and…"
"Oh my…" Cordelia covered her mouth. "And your sister…" Cordelia couldn't finish her sentence.
Gunn nodded, knowing what Cordelia was implying. "She was dead before the police even got there. They found her body out of our front door. They said the animal must have dragged her. It happened two days ago. I've been walking in fog. I can't go back there, I don't want to have to." He turned back to Angel. "I've got nowhere to go, and now that I'm standing here I realize that isn't your problem…I just didn't know where else to go. I don't even know you, but I feel like I trust you."
Angel nodded at the irony of it all. Gunn knew Angel, he just couldn't remember. "You can stay with us." He motioned to himself and Cordelia.
Gunn nodded, smiling. "Thanks." He looked at Cordelia. "I'm Charles Gunn by the way."
"Cordelia Chase." Cordelia shook Gunn's hand, surprised at how comfortable she felt around the man she had just met.
"Come on." Angel motioned for Gunn to follow him and Cordelia back to hotel as he wrapped an arm around Cordelia. Angel was beyond mad. He couldn't believe the powers would let Gunn's sister die in this reality. Everyone was supposed to get a second chance; Angel found it hard to absorb that Gunn's second chance only led to him losing his sister all over again, just under different circumstances, although eerily similar. In the old reality, he had lost his sister to the eternal kiss of a vampire and in this one he had lost her to an animal.
Buffy and Spike arrived at Giles house as the moon came out from behind the clouds it had been using for shelter all night to illuminate the streets of Sunnydale. Spike had walked those streets a million times in the dead of night and only now did they seem to creep him out.
Buffy knocked on the door and a minute later Giles opened it, surprised to see Buffy and Spike standing there.
"Can I help you too?" Giles asked.
Buffy nodded. "We've got a problem."
"Come in." Giles moved aside to allow Buffy and Spike to enter. "What's wrong?"
"Xander cheated on Cordelia and she caught him." Spike said. "So she ran off to L.A. to find Angel, and now Xander is trying to say Angel kidnapped her."
"What?" Giles seemed shocked. "Are you certain?"
"Pretty damn certain." Buffy sighed, sitting on Giles' couch. "Xander told me and Spike that if Cordelia doesn't contact her parents in three days the police are going to start looking for her."
"No one knows she is in L.A.?" Giles asked.
"Besides me, you, and Spike, no." Buffy told him.
"Angel didn't kidnap her either. She wanted to go." Spike told him. "She was afraid Xander would hurt her since she discovered him and Faith, and after I saw him this morning I was afraid of the same thing."
"You think Xander would really hurt Cordelia?" Giles raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know." Buffy said honestly.
"Then she is safe with Angel." Giles said. "We should keep it that way."
"If the police find Angel then it won't matter. No one will listen to him or Cordelia." Spike started.
"We must not allow that to happen." Giles told him. "Do not tell anyone else she is with Angel."
"Should we contact Angel?" Buffy asked.
"It probably isn't a good idea. You're probably being watched." Giles told them.
"So we just let Angel and Cordelia live in L.A. and not let them know what could happen if they are caught?" Buffy asked.
"The whole thing might blow over." Giles suggested. "For now, it's best to sit tight."
Suddenly, there was a thump on the door. Giles, Buffy, and Spike all looked at each other before Giles slowly moved to the door. He opened it, and the body of a man fell in.
"What the hell?" Buffy jumped.
Giles looked down at the body, also shocked. It was Spike who noticed the detail on the man's neck.
Spike bent down, moving the man's head so that Giles could see the mark Spike had seen also. Two pinholes.
"He was bitten?" Buffy asked. "What kind of an animal bites like that?"
"Not an animal…" Giles was shocked.
"A vampire." Spike finished also stunned. Vampires weren't supposed to exist any longer in this reality.
Angel had gotten Gunn situated in a room down the hall and had made his way back to his own room. He opened the door and to his surprise, found Cordelia sitting on his bed. He smiled at her.
"What are you doing?" Angel asked her.
"It's late. I'm tired and I am so not cleaning out the room you gave me tonight." Cordelia told him. "You can help me do it in the morning."
"So you're just going to stay in here tonight?" Angel asked, taking a seat on his bed next to her.
"Why not?" Cordelia smiled back at him. "We shared a bed in my room before. It's no different."
"It is different though." Angel smiled up at her.
"Really? How come?" Cordelia ran her hand through his spiky hair.
"Because." Angel moved and kissed her. "I know you like me now."
Cordelia kissed him and then pushed him to his side of the bed. "Well, you just relax tonight, buddy, and get some sleep." She then turned the light off and rolled over to her side of the bed.
Angel smiled at her back and then looked up at the ceiling, slowly, however his smile faded as he thought of what had happened to Gunn earlier that night. Then, something hit him. He sat up in bed, causing Cordelia to look over at him.
"What?" Cordelia asked him.
"What the hell kind of wild animals live in L.A.?" Angel asked her.
"None that I know of. It's a city." Cordelia said tiredly. "Why?"
"An animal didn't bite Gunn's sister." Angel felt a sickening feeling in his stomach.
"What? Then what did?" Cordelia seemed suddenly awake.
"A vampire." Angel told her. He wasn't making a random guess either. He had a feeling, deep down he knew it was a vampire.