"Season 5 and up"
Pairings: B/C X/A W/F K/ASummary: Re-write
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Chapter 43: The Bachelor Party
Cordelia's apartmentCordelia walked into her apartment and dropped the bag she had been carrying. Coming in behind her was Buffy, who unlike Cordelia was carrying three bags. She drops them as well and then she continued with her momentum, which took her to the couch. Sometimes she didn't understand why her wife needed to pack so much, they spent a week in L.A. and then week in Sunnydale, what was the need for all the clothes.
But then she remembered that her wife was, is, Cordelia Chase and everyone knows that she has to look good all the time. Last week while they were in Sunnydale Tara had brought forth a demon that made the whole town sing, as scary as that sounds it got worse. They revealed all their truth, which is what Tara needed.
It turned out that Tara wasn't as accepting to Faith and Willow's relationship as the rest of them where, she wanted Willow back. Faith, being the control freak that she is, wanted to rip Tara's throat out. Buffy knows that even though Faith asks tough she is always afraid that Willow is going to wake up one morning and realize the mistake she's made and run back to Tara. No matter how many times Willow says that Faith is the only one she wants to be with Faith can't seem to let that sink in, and let herself love Willow like she knows she's capable of.
Once again Buffy looks at the bags on the floor. "Honestly Cor, I don't understand why you need to pack so much," Buffy said voicing her curiosity. She loved Cordelia she really did but sometimes she just didn't get the women.
"Because Buffy," Cordelia said as she walked over to the blonde and took a seat next to her. "I always have to look good for the both of us since you are to busy slaying things to wear make-up." Cordelia said and the next thing she knew Buffy was hovering above her. "You know I'm kidding, I just want to make sure that I look good for my girl," she said as she pushed herself up and placed a kiss on Buffy's lips.
Just as they were in the midst of a great make out session Cordelia phone rang. "You know it's like he has sonar out on you, he always knows when we're back in town," Buffy said getting off Cordelia so she could answer the phone.
She smiled at Buffy who proceeded to get off the couch and went into the kitchen and began making something to eat. Luckily Cordelia could see that it was only peanut butter and jelly so she didn't have to worry about Buffy burning the house down. "If this isn't a life or death situation I am going to come over there and stake you myself," Cordelia said into the receiver.
"Is this Cordelia Chase?" The person on the other line, a little caught off guard by her statement.
Cordelia, realizing it wasn't Angel regrouped. "Sorry that's just what I say when I don't want bill collectors contacting me," she lied and she looked over at Buffy who was looking at her confused.
"Cordelia this is Zack," he said. "We met the other say at the night club when your sister was in the bathroom." He said.
"My sister?" Cordelia asked confused.
"The blonde," he said and then Cordelia remember. Her and Buffy had a little fight and when Buffy had gone to the bathroom Zack had come over and introduced himself and she had given him her number. Good thing Buffy didn't answer the phone. "Do you remember me now?" he asked almost sounding hurt.
"Yeah I remember you," she said with a frightened look. "What can I do for you?" she asked him.
"I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner, maybe tomorrow night?" he asked.
"Tomorrow night," she said as she looked at Buffy who was currently eating the last of her sandwich. Buffy will probably be busy doing slayer things with Angel, and she deserves a little fun out on the town, as long as she doesn't let it go too far. "Tomorrow night would be great," Cordelia said with a smile.
Buffy walked back over the couch and took a seat next to her wife. "So who was on the phone, I'm guessing it wasn't Angel," she said as she looked at the ex-cheerleader.
"Just a friend, he wants to know if I wanted to go out to dinner tomorrow night, and since I figured you would be busy doing slayer stuff with Angel I said yes." Cordelia said finally stopping to take a breath.
"A guy friend?" Buffy asked, she tried to no sound jealous but she knew it didn't work. "Like a date?" Buffy asked.
"No not like a date, and yes a guy friend," she quirked an eyebrow at Buffy. "Jealous?" Cordelia asked with a smirk.
"Maybe," Buffy said as she slide down the couch and Cordelia climbed over her. "Should I be?" Buffy asked almost nervous of the answer.
"No, because you're my wife and I love you," Cordelia said as she brought her lips to the slayer's. Once again as they were in one intense make out session the phone rang.
This time Buffy answered. "Cordelia is busy at the moment, try again…"
"Buffy it's Angel and it's important," Angel said cutting her off.
"You're a total mood killer," Buffy said as she handed the phone to Cordelia who mouth 'sorry'. "I'm going to bed," Buffy said as she got out from underneath her lover.
Cordelia watched as Buffy closed the door behind her. "Angel the night time I see you I'm going to throw you into the sunshine," Cordelia said as she sat on her couch with her arms crossed.
"You will no believe what I found out today," Angel said.
"You called me to gossip about whom? Doyle?" Cordelia said not believing that this was her life. "I was about to have a nice romantic night with MY wife and you call to gossip…what is the world coming to?" she asked no one.
"Cordelia this is good stuff," he explained.
"Angel you seriously need to get a life," she said as she looked at the clock, no doubt Buffy would be asleep already. "Now if you don't mind I am going to go to sleep." She said.
"But."
"Angel we can talk about it in the morning when I come into the office…" she paused. "Technically I'm still on vacations," she said and then she hung up the phone. She got up from the couch and walked into the bedroom, as she closed the door behind her she saw that Buffy was indeed asleep. "I'm going to kill Angel," she said to herself, as she got ready for bed. When she was ready she climbed into bed and snuggled up to her blonde slayer.
Angel InvestigationsCordelia walked into Angel investigations and she was pissed. She didn't talk to either Angel or Doyle, because they interrupted her chance at slayer loven, and she wasn't pleased. Angel walked over to her desk and leaned against hit looking at her as if waiting for her to say something.
She looked at him, "Can I help you with something?" she asked as she typed away at her computer. "Oh wait I don't want to help you with anything, ever," she said as she looked at him. "Now if you don't mind can you please leave." She said turning back to her computer.
"Cordelia about last night…"
"There is nothing to talk about, you see because NOTHING happened." She said. "Nothing at all," she added with a whisper.
"Where's Buffy?" Angel asked changing the subject because he knew he ruined something for Cordelia that she really wanted.
"Getting coffee," Cordelia said and just then Buffy came walking through the door. "Thanks," Cordelia said as she grabbed her coffee from Buffy.
"Buffy can we talk," Angel asked and then Buffy walked into his office.
Just as Cordelia was about to get up and ease drop on the conversation the front door opened and in walked a brunette. She was cute, according to Cordelia, but she wasn't really Cordelia's type. She was more into blondes with superpowers. "Can I help you?" Cordelia asked the women nicely.
"Hi Francis," the women said and Doyle wiped his head around to look at the women. "Long time no see," she said trying to make a joke.
"Who's Francis?" Cordelia asked from her desk.
"That would be me. Allen Francis Doyle," he said as he looked from Cordelia back to; "Hello Harry." There was a moment of awkwardness between the three of them. That's when Angel and Buffy decided to walk out of the office and by the look on her wives face Cordelia knew it wasn't a good talk. "Angel…I would like you to met my wife, well ex-wife, Harry."
"Since when have you been married?" Buffy asked as she walked over and sat on Cordelia's desk. Cordelia gave her a look that asked what was wrong but Buffy shuck her head, as a meaning of nothing.
"I'm not anymore, we've gotten a divorce a few years back," Doyle said as he looked at Harry sadly. "Still the worst mistake I ever made," he said quietly to himself yet both Buffy and Angel heard him. "Anyway what's up? What brings you to this part of town?" He asked her.
"I was hoping you could give your blessings to me…" she pauses as the door opens and a man walks through. "And Richard on our engagement." She said the last part somewhat hesitantly.
Cordelia looked at Buffy, who looked at Angel, who was looking at Doyle, who was looking at Harry in shock. "Well I guess it's easy to say that, that was unexpected." Buffy said as she looked at the scene before her. "Cordelia what do you say we get out of here," Buffy said as she grabbed her girlfriends hand.
"I think I'm going to go downstairs for a little while," Angel said as he made his exist.
"Nice and smooth," Cordelia said as she watched her boss go into the basement.
"Cordy, shut up and let's go," Buffy said as she walked out the door followed by a reluctant brunette. Cordelia couldn't help it; she was addicted to drama and gossip, that's what Buffy loved about her so much.
Doyle, Harry, and Richard were left alone. How was he supposed to respond to a question like that, the women that he still loved is asking him for his blessings for her next marriage. He took a seat in Cordelia's chair while Richard and Harry took a seat on the couch.
"So what do you do Doyle?" Richard asked trying to break the tension.
"Private investigation," Doyle said with a snicker in his voice.
"Okay I can see that we got off on the wrong foot," Richard started to explain. "But it's just that my family believes that you shouldn't take the women's hand in marriage if she doesn't have the blessings of her first husband. That is of course if she was married before." He said with a smile. "It would mean so much to us," he added.
Doyle looked up at Harry who made eye contact with him. He knew he no longer had a chance with her, just like most of the women in his life. Cordelia decided to be with a woman instead of men so she was out of the question. Yet at leats with Harry he still stood a chance that is until now.
"Sure why not, you have my blessings," he said although sadly. Harry looked at him. "I'm sure, I want you to be happy and Richard seems like he will be able to do that for you," Doyle explained.
"Richard can you got met me in the car, I want to talk to Francis alone," she asked her soon to be husband.
"Sure thing sweetie," he said as he walked over to Harry and gave her a kiss.
"Thanks," she said and then he left and Doyle and Harry were alone. "I still love," she said. "That is never going to change but I need to move on, and so do you. I saw you eyeing that brunette, Cordelia," Harry said.
"She's married," Doyle stated simply.
"The blonde, I didn't get her name." Harry tried again.
"Married to the brunette, and her name is Buffy." Doyle said with a smile.
"Oh," was all Harry could say. "Okay," she added.
"I really am happy for you," Doyle said.
"Thanks Francis," Harry said. "I got to go now," she said as she turned toward the doorway. "But before I leave Richard would like me to invite you and your friend Angel to his bachelor party, and Cordelia and Buffy to mine," she said with a smile. "It was nice to see you again," Harry said.
"You too," he said as he watched her leave. And once again he was alone. It always seemed like this is where is all came. He was and always would be alone. He hung his head as he looked out the window. Buffy and Cordelia were talking with Richard and when Harry walks out they begin a conversation.
"Someone told me once that the more you live in the world the more you find out how much apart of it your not," Angel said coming up behind Doyle. "That was a good thing you did," he said.
"Yeah well I don't feel so good," Doyle said as he and the souled vampire watched the scene before them.
Buffy and Cordelia's apartment (later that night)
Buffy stood by the big bay window, looking out at the chair parked in the driveway. The sad part is that Cordelia 'friend' didn't even come to the door and get her. What was it with guys these days?
Buffy looked toward the bathroom door where Cordelia was walking out. She looked amazing, and that just made her even more jealous, but she didn't need to be because Cordelia loved her.
Yet she was going out on a date with a 'friend' who just happened to be a guy. And she was getting all dressed up.
"Buffy no need to worry, it is just a friendly get together," Cordelia said as she hugged her wife. "And plus you'll be out in the night doing whatever it is Angel has you doing…why does he have you doing stuff anyway you don't work for him," Cordelia realized.
"Because I'm a nice person and I'm helping a friend out," Buffy said. "Just like your doing tonight…how much is he paying you?" Buffy asked her.
Cordelia released her wife from her hug. "That was way low," Cordelia said. "He is just a FRIEND you have no right to be acting this way," Cordelia said as she walked toward the door.
"Is that why you're not wearing your ring?" Buffy asked.
Cordelia didn't say anything she just walked out of the apartment. Why do you always let your jealousy get the best of you Summers? She said he was just a friend, but if he is just a friend than why didn't she introduce me to him? Why wasn't she wearing her ring?
Just then the phone rang. "Hello?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy it's Angel, I'm on my way over and then we'll head out."
"Okay I'll be ready," Buffy said before she hung up. Hopefully she'd be able to kill some demons in order to get her mind off of Cordelia and her night out on the town without her. "This sucks."
RestaurantCordelia sat across the table from Zack, her 'friend.' She looked down at her hand and she noticed the finger where the ring should be, it seemed so plain, and empty. Then she looked over at Zack, he wasn't who she remembered him to be, everything seemed to be all about him. That just reminded her how much she loved Buffy, because Buffy rarely thought about herself.
She would always be about saving the world, or saving the innocent people. Zack, it was all about him and his money, which Cordelia really didn't care about. And when she tried to get the conversation to go into a different direction she would just interrupted her and start talking about something that he bought that she didn't want to know about.
"I think you should take me to the office," Cordelia said. She wanted to go there because she knew that's where Buffy would be.
"Why?" he asked her as if he didn't know. Cordelia didn't say anything instead she just took the ring out of her purse and put it on. "Actually I think you should walk home." He said upon seeing the ring.
"Are you serious?" she asked. He said nothing. "Fine."
Angel InvestigationsCordelia walked up to the Angel Investigations offices and looked in the window. She saw Buffy and Angel arguing about something, and it looking like Buffy had some form of gew on her. She would never tell her this but Buffy looked sexy when she was covered in demon blood.
She opened the door and walked in. Buffy looked at her and then looked back at Angel, they were in Angel's office. Buffy turned to look at her again but this time she closed the door. Cordelia winced hurt by the fact that they just closed her out of their conversation.
She walked over and sat at her desk. Buffy had never kept a secret from her, that's what made their relationship so special. They told each other everything, even before they were an item. That's why Willow didn't like having her around before they started dating.
She looked toward the window and saw Buffy was still trying to get the slimy stuff off of herself and Angel just let it drip to the floor. The more she watched the interaction between the two the more she wondered what the hell was going on.
She sat there for another five minutes before she realized that this argument between Buffy and Angel had the possibility to go on for hours. So she decided to head home and maybe she could catch some sleep. She hated going home alone at night, mostly because she knew what went dump in the night.
She walked out of the office making sure to slam the door behind her so the slayer and the vampire knew that she was leaving. As she walked out of the building she passed a distracted Doyle. She said hi to him but he didn't answer because he was in his own little world that even a female couldn't penetrate, which made her wonder is that why him and Harry got a divorce?
She walked outside and as soon as the doors closed behind her she wished she had stayed inside and been ignored because a least she would be able to witness Buffy being apologetic, but if she was dead she wouldn't be able to witness anything. She began to make her way down the sidewalk when someone stepped out in front of her.
"Can I walk you home?" he asked.
"No thank you," Cordelia said as she tried to get by and when she did two more of his friends stepped out from where they were hiding. "Great, could this night get any worse?" she asked. Just then she began to rain. "Thanks," she said.
Just as the first one rushed her she screamed and out of nowhere someone tackled the vampire. She looked down at the group and saw that it was Doyle. He was saving her, where was Buffy? Doyle was getting his ass kicked but somehow he managed to stake two of the three before he was brought to his knees again. When the vamp went in for the kill Cordelia pulled the stake she kept in her purse out and turned the vamp to dust.
"Thanks," he said in his rich Irish accent.
"Thanks to you too," she said. "You wanna walk me home?" she asked looking up and even though she couldn't see in the window she knew they were still argue, and it bugged her to no end what about.
Harry's house (next day)
Buffy and Cordelia ended up going to Harry's party, which wasn't what they wanted to do. Cordelia really wanted to talk to Buffy because she didn't come home last night so Buffy had no idea what happened to her when Doyle saved her life. Plus Cordelia wanted to know what her and Angel were arguing about last night.
Cordelia was currently getting some food while Buffy was on the couch talking to all the other girls. Harry walked up to Cordelia and looked in the direction that Cordelia was, which was at Buffy.
"How long you guys been together?" Harry asked as she looked back at Cordelia.
"One year married and about a year and a half dating. But I've known her since sophomore year in high school," Cordelia said.
"Wow that's a lot of history there," Harry said.
"How long were you and Doyle together?" Cordelia asked.
"We were together about two years before we finally separated." Harry said. "He was always doing stuff that would only benefit him and that's wasn't what I was looking for so I left," she explained.
"Doyle only out for himself, somehow I doubt that," Cordelia said. Harry gave her a strange look. "Well since the time I've known he seems like the most unselfish person I've ever met." Cordelia explained. Cordelia's gaze caught Buffy again as she began laughing with Harry's friends. "What is it with people a secrets?" Cordelia asked Harry. "I mean I know that Doyle most have had his secrets but I mean, why have'em they only tear apart a relationship," she said.
"What happened between you two, if you don't mind me asking," Harry said.
"She was talking with Angel and when she saw me walk in she closed the door to his office, and then she didn't come home that night," Cordelia explained. "It is just so unlike her," she finished.
"Talk to her about it. Don't let that little misfortunate ruin what seems like a loving relationship," Harry said. That's how she and Doyle ended things. She thought he was sleeping around on her and instead of asking him about it she just jumped to conclusions and divorced him, and then moved out of state never hearing from him again. That is until this morning.
Richard's partyAngel and Doyle showed up to Richard's party and it was easy to see that Angel wasn't invited because everyone in the room was giving them dirty looks. Why had Harry lied to them? Richard was walking over to them with a forced smile.
"How great of you guys to join us," he said as he put his hand on Doyle's shoulder. "It's open bar so please, help yourself," Richard said.
Angel could tell something was up; it was the tension between Doyle and Richard. Not necessarily Doyle but Richard was giving off a weird vibe but Angel couldn't seem to but his finger on it. He knew they weren't human but he didn't know what kind of demon they were. So he figured if he called Buffy that maybe her and the girls could do some research for him.
"Richard do you possibly have a phone I could use?" Angel asked know that he needed to get a hold of Buffy.
"Yeah it's down the hall, first room on your left," Richard said and once Angel's back was turned he nodded toward his brothers and they got up and followed him out. "So Doyle, care for a drink?"
Angel could feel them following him, which proved that they weren't human. But he also knew that there was too many for him to take by himself. They allowed him to get to the telephone. He dialed Cordelia's cell number, not knowing Buffy's. "Cordelia this is Angel, I need to speak with Buffy," he said into the phone.
"Okay hold on a sec," she said.
"Hello?" Came a muffled reply over the telephone.
"Buffy," was all Angel said before he was knocked out from a hit to the head form behind.
"Grab him," one of the brothers said as the picked him up and carried him to the window. "No way is he going to blow this for Richard," he said as the tossed him out the window causing him to fall five stories. If they had known he was a vampire they would have known that the fall didn't kill him. Instead it made him even more pissed off.
Harry's partyBuffy explained to them what she had heard on the phone and that's when Harry came out about Richard being a demon. So Buffy decided that they should do a little research on this demon tribe so they knew what the hell was happening over at Richard's party.
Buffy got up from the table and went into the bathroom. Harry nudged Cordelia and tilted her head in the direction that Buffy had gone, which indicated that she should fallow. Cordelia then got up from the table and walked into the bathroom.
Buffy was looking through the medicine cabinet when Cordelia walked in. "What do you want?" Buffy asked when she saw Cordelia walk through the door.
"I don't understand why you're getting so upset because I went on ONE date with a guy friend," Cordelia said.
"It wasn't that you went out with a guy friend, it's the fact that when you were going out you didn't even bother to put on your ring. Which shows me that you're ashamed of us," Buffy said.
"Buffy I could NEVER be ashamed of what we have together. I love you and I was just going out with Zack because you were going out with Angel, speaking of which what were you guys talking about in his office when I walked in?" she asked.
"Nothing," Buffy lied and she knew that Cordelia knew.
"I FOUND IT!" Harry declared and Buffy and Cordelia walked out to where the woman was sitting surrounded by books.
"I know your not happy with me right now but this is a total Giles moment," Buffy said. "I remember when he was always surround by books." She said with a smile.
"Okay not found it exactly, as in I don't know exactly what kind of demon Richard is but I do know what he invited Doyle to the party," she said they two of them looked at her waiting for her to continue. "You see one demon tribe has to ingest the brain of the first husband, if there is one." She said and then it hit her. "Oh no Doyle, we need to get there, and fast," she said as she jumped out of her seat.
"Defiantly a Giles moment," Cordelia said as she clasped Buffy's hand. "I'm not mad at you I just want you to know that there is no reason for you to ever be jealous because you are the only person that I ever want to be with," Cordelia said as she kissed Buffy softly. "Now let's go save Doyle," she said as the followed Harry out of her apartment.
Richard's party
He hated when people didn't know he was a vampire and tried to kill him, it made him feel kind of disrespected. You think they would have enough respect to try and cut his head off. Instead they just tossed him out the window.
Angel managed to get back to were the party was a looked through the window where he could see Doyle in a triangle looking book with dotted lines on his head. Angel could only imagine what that was for. All he knew now is that he needed to get Doyle of the there.
Angel stepped back and reeled his leg backwards and brought it full force onto the door. Everyone looked at him. "We threw you out a window," one of the said.
"Yeah well I didn't die, mostly because I'm already dead," he said as he changed into his vampiric form. Meanwhile Doyle has shifted into his demon half as was working himself out of the triangle book. "You want to pick on someone your own size?" Angel taunted.
"No!" they all turned to see Harry, Cordelia, and Buffy come walking through the door. "There will be no fighting," she demanded and she walked up to Richard. "You were going to eat his brains?" she asked him.
"First ew but second why his?" Cordelia asked.
"Because he needed a past lover and my only other lover was Doyle." Harry said.
"Harry I have to or we can be married." He said.
Harry looked down at her ring. She slides it off her finger in one slow motion. "Then I don't think we should get married because Doyle is a part of my life and nothing is going to change that," she said She turned and grabbed Doyle's hand. "Come on lets go home," she said as she walked out of the building followed by Angel, Buffy and Cordelia.
Love is a strange thing, it make you do things that you wouldn't down under different circumstances. It causing people to lose their entire grip on reality.
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AN: I hope you liked it. My next update will be on May 26th.