Cordelia leaned backwards, ignoring the teacher. She'd already sat through the class once, before she had made her wish. Being forced to go through it again was one of the less desirable complications of her wish, but there was no way around it. At least she didn't have to actually listen to what he was saying, giving her more time to think about her problems. Her wish had worked, by some fluke of the hellmouth, letting her relive the last eighteen months, without making any mistakes, but something didn't feel right.
Things were happening that didn't quite fit her memories. At first she'd told herself her memories were at fault, but that excuse didn't hold up. She had seen Blaine's head bitten off by that giant bug teacher, but she knew he had been in class the week before she made the wish. Of course, in Sunnydale being dead was no bar to an active lifestyle, but why would a zombie want to go to school? She could fudge her memories of the original history to fit the things she had seen after the wish, but she couldn't fudge them that much. It had to be the world that was at fault, not her memories. But why?
There were some things she had changed herself, none of which had worked out as well as she had hoped. She hadn't been able to save Jesse, Marcie had got herself killed, and they hadn't been fast enough to save Blaine. Worst of all, that giant bug had broken her left arm. She'd had to wear a cast for a week, which had taken a lot of explaining away. Still, at least she had some idea why those things had happened differently.
Some of the changes were probably inadvertent consequences of her actions, like that butterfly thing the history teacher had gone on about once. Aura was dating Mitch now, but that was only because Cordelia hadn't been interested. He'd looked nice two years ago, but her tastes were more mature now and he'd only get in the way. It was hard enough to spend enough time to give Buffy and her friends all the help they needed without Harmony noticing how much time she was spending with them; trying to keep Mitch happy too would have been a complete nightmare.
The inadvertent changes were an annoying complication, but she could have coped with those. What really worried Cordelia was the other changes.
The class started giggling, disturbing Cordelia's concentration. She looked up, and frowned.
"Cordelia is a thief," the teacher was writing on the blackboard. "Cordelia is a thief."
He seemed completely unaware of what he was doing, still droning on about math the way he always had, but he had half-filled the blackboard with that ridiculous accusation. It was just like what those ghosts had done, but it was the wrong time of year.
The teacher finished his lecture and turned to face the class, his smile quickly turning to a frown when he finally noticed the laughter.
"Look at the blackboard." Cordelia said firmly, before he could demand an explanation.
"Oh, my God!" The teacher began frantically wiping the blackboard clean while stammering incoherent apologies.
Cordelia smiled, briefly amused, then started thinking. She'd dealt with ghosts before. With her expert guidance Giles would banish the ghost before it could create any more trouble. The ghost wouldn't be a serious problem, but it was still worrying. She hadn't ordered extra ghosts, so where had it come from?
It could just be some accidental result of the changes she had made, like Aura dating Mitch, but if it was just random luck why did it never work in their favour? People had died because of Cordelia's bad luck, people who should have lived, but the only people whose lives had been saved owed their lives to Cordelia's hard work.
Cordelia had spent too long on the Hellmouth to believe in simple bad luck. Something was definitely wrong, but was it just the touch of the Hellmouth, or could it be something more serious?
Cordelia frowned as she slipped into the library. It looked like Giles and Buffy were already researching something. She'd just have to persuade them to deal with the ghosts first. It wasn't as if anything important was due to happen soon.
"Yuck, check these guys out. Hi, Cordy." Buffy said, passing Giles an open book.
"We've got ghosts." Cordelia said calmly as she sat down at the table. "What's this?"
Buffy picked the ring up. "A vamp dropped it last night. Giles thinks it's something special."
Then Buffy blinked. "Ghosts?"
Xander stepped into the library. "Not that I saw. Our math teacher just did this freaky channelling thing."
Xander still seemed to be expecting traditional ghosts.
"What happened?" Giles asked eagerly.
While Xander answered Giles's question Cordelia sat back and tried to work out who the ghost could be. Either her memory was worse than she wanted to believe possible or they were someone who had died recently, someone who hadn't died in the original history. That still left at least eight names, just counting the ones she was sure of, but there was another clue. The ghost had been angry at Cordelia, which really narrowed down the list of suspects.
"Ooh!" Buffy said, standing up. "Owen! Hi."
Cordelia smiled, amused, as Buffy brushed her hair nervously. She was being so obvious but Owen seemed oblivious, so far. Cordelia knew that wouldn't last. She'd wanted to date Owen herself, the first time around, but he'd picked Buffy instead, which showed what poor taste he had. Something had gone wrong though. She'd never seen the two of them together after that first date. Buffy had switched her affections to Angel, making him lose his soul. That was something that needed changing, and this would be a good time to do it.
"What do you want?" Giles asked while Xander glowered at Owen, clearly jealous.
"A book?" Owen replied, looking confused.
He actually wanted to borrow a book? Now that was weird. She'd seen more vampires in the library than students. Cordelia glanced curiously at Owen, then mentally shrugged. It didn't matter if Owen was odd. At least he was human, and Buffy obviously liked him. Yes, they'd definitely make a great couple.
If she could just work out why they'd split up she could keep Buffy and Owen together. It had been the night she first saw Angel, which had made it a night worth remembering, but she hadn't been paying much attention to Buffy. Cordelia struggled to remember what exactly had happened. Angel had told Buffy something, then Xander and Willow had turned up, acting weird, and the gang had all left the Bronze, including Owen.
Cordelia smiled again. There must have been something hellmouthy going on or Angel wouldn't have been there. Owen must have seen too much and been scared off. All Cordelia would have to do would be to give Owen some dating advice, so Buffy wouldn't want to let him get away so easily, and to make sure he didn't see too much.
"Poetry." Giles said, pointing Owen in the right direction. Buffy followed him up the stairs, trying much too hard.
Giles glanced at the book Buffy had passed him. His faced twitched in quickly hidden surprise, then he sat down and began reading.
"I can read poetry." Xander muttered, looking hurt.
Cordelia sighed. Why did Xander insist on chasing Buffy? It wasn't as if she encouraged him. There were two other girls who wanted him, or rather, Cordelia thought, correcting herself, there had been two other girls, in the future, but now there was only the one. She was prepared to pretend to be interested, so it would be easier to manipulate him and get her revenge, but she had to remember she no longer loved him. It would be easy enough to confuse pretence and reality, to get carried away by Xander's undeniable charms but that would wreck her plans for revenge.
Cordelia backtracked, picking up her thoughts where she had interrupted herself. As far as Xander knew, there were two girls interested in him. They might not be as obvious about it as Buffy, who might as well put an ad in the paper, but Xander must have noticed. So why did he insist on pining over what he could never win, while ignoring the prize at his feet? If she knew that, knew how he thought, her revenge would be so much easier. Of course, if she had known him that well Willow wouldn't have been able to steal him.
"I love books." Buffy said unconvincingly as she came back down the stairs. "I mean, I really love books."
Owen looked at Giles, still studying the book Buffy had passed him.
"What's that?" he asked, clearly wondering why the librarian was sitting next to students, "A book Mr Giles was showing you?"
"Not that one." Buffy said hastily, standing so Owen couldn't see the title.
"No one reads those books." Xander added.
Giles plucked Owen's book from his hands and walked over to the checkout desk. "Oh, Emily Dickinson."
Cordelia watched, amused, as Buffy continued her pathetic attempts at flirting until Owen left the library. Those two both needed urgent help if they were going to get anywhere. Buffy might be good with ugly monsters but, when it came to dating, Cordelia was the slayer.
"You were right, Buffy." Giles said. "That ring is worn by members of the Order of Aurelius, an old and venerated sect. If they are here it's for a good reason."
That was something she could secretly warn Angel about, keeping up her reputation. The more accurate the warnings she slipped him, the more he would trust them, making it easier for her to manipulate him.
Buffy ignored Giles's words, staring wistfully at the door. "That was Owen! Do you have any more copies of Emily Dickinson? I need one."
Giles glared at Buffy. "While the mere fact of you wanting to check out a book would be grounds for a national holiday, I think we should focus on the problems at hand."
Xander nodded, fiddling with the ring Giles had left on the table. "Who are these Aurelius guys?"
"And the ghost. Don't forget the ghost." Cordelia added. The Aurelius thing was probably just another bit of the original history she hadn't been told about, the reason why Buffy would leave the Bronze, which meant it wasn't a problem. Buffy would deal with it, the way she originally had.
The ghost was much more worrying, a change in history she hadn't asked for and didn't want. She'd grown used to knowing almost everything in advance, which made everything easier, but this ghost was a complete unknown. She didn't know what it wanted, she didn't know what it could do, and she couldn't be sure of victory, since Buffy hadn't even fought it the first time round.
"Right," Buffy said. "I'm sorry. You're right. Vampires and ghosts."
Buffy paused, looking worried. "Oh, does this outfit make me look fat?"
"Nothing could make you look fat." Xander said, smiling.
"I've seen worse," Cordelia said, making Buffy frown, then hastily added "but if you take my fashion advice you will be irresistible."
Giles started to speak, but Cordelia overrode him. "This isn't the time though. Vampires first, fashion later."
Cordelia knew that had to be the strangest thing she'd ever said but she needed Buffy to get her priorities right. If Buffy let the monsters win because she was too busy thinking about boys then fashion would be dead.
Buffy nodded agreement, but her expression still seemed unfocused.
Giles sighed. "Go to your next class. I need to check my books; see why the order might be in town."
That lunchtime Cordelia sat in the canteen, half-listening to Harmony talking about her last shopping trip. Odd to think there had once been a time when she would have enjoyed hearing Harmony describe every last outfit she had tried on, but now she was beginning to wonder if she had ever really enjoyed it at all. Still, being popular was worth any amount of boredom.
"Are you listening, or are you watching those losers again?" Harmony snapped.
Cordelia glared back. Who did Harmony think she was, taking that tone?
"Gold-and-green striped gloves, right?"
Harmony started to say no, but Cordelia interrupted, her tone dismissive.
"You know I don't have your memory for trivial details, I mean, remembering every last thing you bought, in order. The geeks think they're good, memorising all those books, but you're even better."
Harmony did not look flattered by the comparison.
Ignoring Harmony's spluttered response, Cordelia turned to watch Buffy. The nervous way she was acting was so much more entertaining than Harmony could ever hope to be, a big contrast to the confident Buffy Cordelia was used to seeing slaying monsters.
After what looked like a lot of encouragement from Willow, Buffy went over to Owen's table, much to Xander's obvious disgust. It was obvious both Owen and Buffy wanted to date each other but neither of them seemed able to find the words.
After a couple of minutes Cordelia stood up. She needed to know what Giles had found out about her ghost, and knowing what the Order of Aurelius were planning would be useful too.
"Going to another rehearsal with those losers?" Harmony asked sourly.
Cordelia nodded as she began walking. It wasn't much of an excuse but she hadn't expected to need one. People ignored the weird stuff, and the people involved in it. There were exceptions, but mostly people never asked awkward questions. In the original history Harmony had noticed Cordelia's affair with Xander, but she had never asked how they got together or why Cordelia spent so long in the library. Even after that Homecoming fiasco no one had asked why Cordelia had been so dishevelled, despite the shock in their eyes.
Giles had explained it once, something about people preferring ignorance. Most people didn't ask questions because they feared the answers. They might forget the weirdness and ignore all the evidence but nothing could be completely forgotten. In their dreams they remembered.
They avoided dangerous places, unless their hormones overrode their head. They never asked awkward questions and they certainly never asked Cordelia what she was doing with the Scooby gang, or followed her to the library.
Cordelia had never considered Harmony bright, but it had been three weeks. By now she should have realised there were times Cordelia was not safe to be around, the way she had in the original history. Well, if Harmony didn't learn, Cordelia would just have to teach her. She didn't want Harmony following her at the wrong time and getting herself hurt, but she'd have to think of a way to discourage Harmony without risking her popularity.
At the library doors Cordelia turned to face Harmony. At least the rest of her friends had been too sensible to follow her.
"Going to play with your new loser friends?" Harmony sneered. "What's happened to your standards? You shouldn't even be talking to those weirdos."
Cordelia had never liked being ordered around, and she certainly didn't like being addressed in that tone of voice. OK, she understood why Harmony would be upset now that she no longer had the privilege of spending most of her waking hours in Cordelia's company but that was no excuse. Harmony's incessant sniping was getting annoying and, worse, she was trying to control Cordelia's behaviour.
Cordelia remembered how, last Valentine's Day, she'd had to explain to Harmony that she was a natural leader, not a sheep, and didn't have to follow other people's standards. It looked like she would have to explain the same thing again, only earlier.
"Harmony," Cordelia began in deceptively sweet tones, "do I ever hang with losers?"
"No, but-"
"Then Buffy and her friends can't be losers." Cordelia said firmly.
"Not losers?" Harmony said disbelievingly. "Are you blind?"
"I see more than you do." Cordelia replied smiling. Harmony was as blind as the rest of Sunnydale. "You call Buffy a loser, but you don't even know the rules. Buffy is a winner. We are all winners."
Cordelia paused, thinking about what she could safely say.
Harmony looked defiantly at Cordelia. "Winners? Willow and Xander are much too ugly to make good actors."
Cordelia laughed dismissively. Xander hid a great body under his horrible clothes and if Willow dressed better she would look almost as attractive as Cordelia herself, attractive enough to get almost any boy she wanted. Willow certainly hadn't had any trouble seducing Xander, which wasn't something Cordelia wanted to think about. She pulled her thoughts back to the present and glared at Harmony.
Harmony stepped backwards.
"This is my school," Cordelia said. "I decide who the losers are. You're just a sheep, copying what's cool, but not me. If I'm doing it, it has to be cool. I do what I want to do, and I hang with whoever I want to, whenever I want to, however odd they are. Whine all you like but I'm not going to change, so shut up and stay away from my library."
Cordelia stopped talking, worried she might have got carried away. She didn't want to alienate Harmony, just remind her who she was talking back to. Still, Harmony knew she'd be nowhere without Cordelia, so it would be easy enough to mollify her later.
Cordelia smiled as Harmony stammered her apologies then scurried away down the corridor. Harmony certainly wouldn't be asking any more awkward questions.
"Your library?"
Recognising Buffy's voice Cordelia turned around to see all three of them looking at her, clearly amused.
"She was rude." Cordelia explained as she pushed open the library doors. "Giles, what've you found out about my ghost?"
"You've got a ghost?" Willow gasped. "But you aren't dead."
"Our teacher did this freaky channelling thing," Xander explained. "Cordy thinks it's a ghost."
Willow looked briefly thoughtful then asked "Whose ghost is it then?"
Giles smiled. "We don't have sufficient information to decide, but that can wait. The ghost isn't important, the Order of Aurelius is -"
Cordelia stopped listening to Giles, her attention gripped by the books behind him. The moment he'd said the ghost wasn't important the books had started vibrating. Now they were glowing a dull blood red and floating just above the shelves.
"Um Giles, behind you." Willow said, interrupting apologetically.
As Giles turned to look three of the books leapt of their shelf and hurtled towards Giles, clipping him on the ear.
"Everyone down!" Buffy yelled as more books floated away from their shelves and began zooming around the room.
Cordelia dived forwards, sliding quickly across the floor and underneath the main table.
From behind the counter Xander groaned. "So who's been a bad librarian? What have you done to these poor books? Miscatalogued them?"
Cordelia couldn't see Giles but he sounded affronted. "No! This is a poltergeist."
"A what? How do I kill it?" Buffy asked, showing her inexperience.
"A ghost, and you can't kill it." Giles replied. "But it can't keep up this level of activity for long without depleting its spiritual reserves."
"You mean we've got to wait for it to get tired?" Cordelia asked, clarifying Giles's answer.
"Thief," an hideous voice screeched.
Cordelia peeked out from under the table, trying to see what was talking. There had to be thousands of books floating in mid-air. Moving faster than the eye could follow they circled the main table, the air around them glowing a dull blood red. Giles had retreated into the safety of his office, Xander and Willow were both crouched behind the counter and Buffy was leaning against the wall, fending the books off with her hands, but there was no sign of any monster.
"Thief. Thief," the voice screeched again, and the light flickered in time with its words. It had to be the ghost talking.
"Cordelia is a thief," the voice screeched, and the light winked out. There was a moment of silence, then all the books fell to the floor.
Cordelia crawled out from underneath the table and calmly dusted herself down.
"Giles, next time don't insult the ghost." Cordelia said sharply then hesitated. That ghost had attacked twice in three hours, and it definitely didn't like her. If it made a fuss like that in the Bronze it wouldn't help her reputation.
"Giles?" Cordelia asked in gentler tones. "I don't think that ghost likes me. Is there anything you can do about it?"
Cordelia paused, thinking about the last time she had faced a ghost. Willow had made some special charm. "A scapula I can wear, but not the stinky kind."
Giles looked thoughtfully at Cordelia and smiled. "I may be able to prepare some suitable protection for all of us, but we need to identify the ghost. Are there any dead people who don't like you?"
Xander smiled but kept silent, refusing to make the obvious joke. He'd been a lot nicer about that ever since he almost killed her. He'd been a lot nicer to her about everything since then, calling her Cordy and hardly ever insulting her. Cordelia would have enjoyed his improved attitude, if she had thought he really meant it, but it was clear he was just trying to make up for almost killing her. Xander probably meant well but Cordelia would have preferred honesty.
"Marcie," Willow suggested. "And maybe Amber."
Cordelia nodded. They had both been spiteful people who'd enjoy embarrassing her.
"Both violent deaths." Giles replied, "so they would make good suspects. It should take several hours for our ghost to recover the energy for another manifestation, more than enough time to research a protective charm, but first we have more urgent business. I fear the Master is about to try and fulfil a violent and disturbing prophecy."
"The order of Aurelius?" Buffy guessed.
Giles nodded. "You were spot on about the connection. I've looked at the writings of Aurelius himself and he prophesied that the brethren of his order would bring the anointed one to the Master."
Cordelia smiled. She'd seen the anointed one once, a little child who looked completely harmless. Still, if the Master wanted him there had to be something special about the anointed.
"Um, Giles?" Willow said tentatively. "Didn't you say all the old prophecies were invalid? And this Aurelius must be old news 'cause he has this whole order, which he couldn't have got in three weeks."
Giles smiled. "Events do not happen because they are prophesied; they are prophesied because they will happen. There has to be a reason, outside prophecy, why those events will occur. Even though the prophecy has been invalidated the Master can still try and make it happen. His chances of success are much lower now, but they are not zero."
Cordelia frowned slightly, thinking about what Giles had just said. The old prophecies were wrong because Cordelia was changing things, but she hadn't done anything to stop the anointed yet. If Giles hadn't told her about the prophecy she wouldn't have known to stop it so it would have come true but now, because Giles had told her it would have happened, it wouldn't.
Cordelia paused, trying to untangle her thoughts. It wouldn't happen because it would have? That was the kind of twisted logic only Giles could understand.
Cordelia mentally shrugged, dismissing the issue. Xander was speaking.
"-Fun. Got any more good news?" he was saying. "Who's this anointed guy?"
"I don't know exactly, a warrior, but it says he will rise from the ashes of the five on the evening of the thousandth day after the advent of Septus."
He certainly hadn't looked like a warrior, but if the Master needed some brat's help Buffy would have to kill it first, which shouldn't be difficult. Cordelia would slip Angel a note describing the anointed one and he'd help Buffy kill it. Once that little nuisance was out of the way Giles would be able to deal with the much more worrying problem of the unexpected ghost.
Cordelia smiled, glad she had worked out exactly what was going on. This time there wouldn't be any unexpected complications.
It was almost dusk when Cordelia slipped the note under Angel's door, later than she would have liked. As Cordelia turned away from the door she quickly pulled a small cross out of her purse and wrapped her fingers tightly around it, ready for the long walk home. A cross couldn't offer much protection, but it was better than nothing. It would be better still if she didn't have to walk at all, but her driving test wasn't due for another two weeks.
Cordelia hadn't meant to be so late but it had been difficult to get away from Harmony. She had only meant to spend half an hour with her, after school, reassuring Harmony that they were still friends, but Harmony had kept her talking for hours. Much as Cordelia wished she could have just walked away, doing that repeatedly would have damaged her status. If she wasn't regularly seen with the other fashionable people everyone would start to think of her as just another member of Buffy's weird gang, and her popularity would plummet.
"Cordelia?"
Recognising Angel's voice, Cordelia turned around and sighed. Angel was standing in the shadows, a surprised look on his face and a piece of paper in his hand.
"Expecting someone else?" Cordelia said, trying to decide what she could tell Angel. He didn't need to know the truth but he wouldn't be easy to deceive. At least with Giles she'd been able to keep her story simple but Angel thought she was the messenger of a non-existent secret society. Angel would want more information, but there was no way she could actually answer those questions. Cordelia could twist the truth or even lie outright but either way, the moment something she said contradicted what he already knew, Angel would become suspicious.
Cordelia would have to play it cryptic, imply she knew more than she did and let Angel fill in the gaps, but if she made even one misstep Angel would suspect she was a fraud. She just had to hope Angel wouldn't be talking to Giles anytime soon.
"I wasn't expecting anyone."
Angel hesitated, then added "We need to talk. Come inside."
"Into your lair?" Cordelia said, displaying her cross. Angel might be old enough that the sight of a cross didn't bother him much but anything she could do to unsettle him would make her deceit easier.
"You know?" Angel said, sounding surprised.
Cordelia nodded.
Angel said nothing more until they were both inside.
"How much do you know?" Angel asked once they had both sat down.
"I know about the curse, and the loophole." Cordelia said, trying to sound like Giles. She couldn't hope to fake the accent, not that it would help if she did, but she could try and fake his style and mannerisms. If she could just copy Giles's authoritative tones then she would sound like the voice of experience, making her imposture much more convincing.
"So you've read the messages?"
Cordelia struggled to keep her face blank. Why hadn't she thought of that? If she'd pretended that she was just a messenger Angel wouldn't have expected her to know anything. There would still have been a few awkward questions, such as why she was delivering anonymous messages and who was giving them to her, but that would still have been a better lie.
Cordelia mentally shrugged. It was too late to change tack now.
"Who wouldn't?" Cordelia replied. "I am hardly going to deliver anonymous messages to strange men without good reason."
"Does Giles know?"
"He mustn't," Cordelia said, trying to think of some reason why not.
Angel smiled. "So those rumours are true."
"Which rumours? There are so many in this business."
Angel looked thoughtfully at Cordelia. "Meddling in the affairs of watchers is dangerous. The slayer is theirs, and theirs alone. They'll go to any lengths to keep it that way."
Cordelia smiled. That was an excuse she could use, not that she believed it. She knew Giles. If someone else turned up, wanting to help the slayer, he'd check their credentials then let them help. Any rumours Angel had heard to the contrary were probably just vampires spinning tall stories. It wasn't as though sensible vampires spent much time around watchers.
"We do prefer to avoid their notice." Cordelia said. "I notice you haven't told Giles your secrets either."
Angel smiled. "Watchers don't like vampires."
"Even when they have souls." Cordelia said, nodding.
Angel looked interested. "How do you know about that? You're no gypsy."
Cordelia smiled enigmatically. "We have ways."
"And the loophole? You're sure about that?" Angel asked, leaning forwards.
"Yes." Cordelia replied firmly. "One moment of perfect happiness and the curse is broken, so don't be happy, ever."
"But how can you be certain?" Angel asked.
Cordelia could understand his reluctance to accept the news, but he had no choice. If he wasn't careful around Buffy then Angelus would escape. She had to force him to accept it.
"I've seen-" Cordelia began hotly, then caught herself. "Documents. Books and prophecies. I've seen dozens of them."
"Which ones?" Angel asked, then rattled off a list of titles. Cordelia recognised a few from the library, but there was no way she could pretend to have read them.
"Do I look like Giles?" Cordelia said, feigning scorn. Not wanting to give Angel a chance to ask more questions, Cordelia quickly continued "The curse was meant to make you suffer. If you're happy you aren't suffering, and the curse goes puff."
Cordelia wasn't completely certain that explanation was right, she hadn't really been listening when Giles explained the details, but it seemed to have convinced Angel.
"That sounds like gypsy logic. Why do I have to avoid Buffy?"
Cordelia stared at Angel, annoyed by how stubbornly he was clinging on to hope.
"Do I have to spell everything out? Give it up. You'll only bring Buffy heartache."
That wasn't completely true, but it was worth lying if it stopped Angel losing his soul.
Cordelia watched the last dregs of hope drain from Angel's face, wishing she hadn't had to tell him that, then frowned. She'd just done the right thing, saved dozens of lives, so why did she feel regret? It wasn't her that was making him suffer; it was the curse, just like the gypsies had wanted, so why did she feel responsible?
Angel looked down, staring at the floor. His voice melancholy, he said "I saw Buffy the day she was chosen. She was walking down the steps and-"
Angel paused, shaking slightly. Cordelia waited silently, hoping he'd continue. She'd often wondered about Buffy's early days but Buffy had never wanted to share. Besides, talking about it might help Angel.
"She looked so vulnerable I wanted to help her, to protect her. I ... I love her. I know she'll never love me but I had hopes. We could work together, side by side. Now you tell me I can't even have that."
Listening to the barely suppressed fury in Angel's last few words Cordelia shuddered and tried to think of something sympathetic to say, some way to calm him down.
Angel looked straight at her and quickly said. "I don't blame you. I owe you, and your organisation."
Cordelia smiled. At least Angel was mature enough not to blame the messenger, and him owing her a favour could be very useful.
"But I will find a way round the loophole."
Cordelia took one look at Angel's expression and decided not to argue. Angel deserved some hope
"Until then I'll do it your way. I can't take the risk that you are wrong." Angel paused. "It is enough to be able to help Buffy. I don't have to watch her."
Cordelia hesitated, then decided she could offer Angel a little comfort. She had implicitly exaggerated the danger of the loophole just a little. If Angel realised he could safely watch Buffy he might falsely conclude that the loophole had been closed.
"You might be able to watch her from a distance," Cordelia conceded. "If it doesn't make you too happy, but if you get too close to her she'll fall for you."
Angel smiled. "She would?"
"She mustn't. It would make you too happy. Keep your distance. Let Buffy find a human boyfriend."
Slowly Angel nodded. "I will, for Buffy's sake. Why are you working for these people?"
Cordelia smiled at Angel's abrupt change of subject
"I learned the truth about Sunnydale. How could I refuse to help?" Cordelia asked rhetorically then, before Angel could ask for more details, changed the subject herself. "Do you know about the anointed?"
"I've read the prophecies of Aurelius. He was due to rise tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow? Giles said it was tonight. Buffy's out there now, waiting for him."
Angel looked surprised. "Doesn't Giles know? Three weeks ago the future changed."
"We know." Cordelia interrupted, then tried to remember Giles's explanation. "But prophecies don't make things happen, people do. The master can still try and raise the anointed, but he's lost his guarantee. He should fail, but he just might succeed."
Angel looked doubtful. "Whatever changed the future won't like him changing it back. It would be arrogant to defy such power."
Cordelia smiled, amused by Angel's misconception. She was the one who'd changed the future but she wasn't quite as powerful as Angel seemed to think.
"But the master has always been arrogant, and he still attempted the harvest." Angel added, looking thoughtful. "You may be right. Aurelius didn't say why the anointed will rise but the master has other sources. If there is some ritual that summons the anointed the master will try and perform it."
"And we will stop him." Cordelia said firmly, trying to remember if Giles had ever said anything useful about the anointed or vampire rituals.
"How?" Angel asked.
Spike had used some fancy ritual to cure Drusilla, but where had he got it from? It had been the week she had first kissed Xander, something she remembered all too clearly, but the rest of the week was a blur. Cordelia frowned slightly, struggling with her memory, then smiled. She remembered now. Spike had stolen one of Giles's books, and a fancy cross.
"Du Lac?" Cordelia said.
Angel's eyebrows twitched in hastily concealed surprise. "He might have known about the anointed, but all his writings were lost when the watchers had him excommunicated."
"Giles has a copy in his library." Cordelia said.
"He does?" Angel exclaimed, not bothering to hide his surprise.
Cordelia nodded. "But you'll need Du Lac's cross to decode it."
Angel smiled. "Where's that? In your purse?"
Cordelia smiled back at Angel, amused by his attitude. "In his tomb, somewhere in Sunnydale. Think you can find it?"
Once they had finished talking Angel offered to walk Cordelia home, an offer she reluctantly accepted. Angel was determined to help her, and she would feel safer with him, but it would also give him more time to ask awkward questions. She would just have to hope Angel wouldn't think of any before she got home.
Still, the conversation had gone very well, considering that she hadn't had any chance to prepare for it. Once she'd told Angel about the loophole in his curse, he'd been too unsettled to worry about the holes in her story.
Cordelia glanced sideways at Angel. He looked broody, and he hadn't said a word since they started walking, but she thought he'd taken the news very well. Buffy would have made a big fuss, blaming Cordelia for everything, but Angel had his priorities straight. He must be feeling awful, but nothing would stop him helping Cordelia and Buffy. If only more people shared that attitude.
"Stop." Angel whispered, then pointed forwards.
Cordelia squinted into the dark, trying to see what had worried Angel. Her house was over five hundred yards away but she could just see an upright figure dimly lit by a sickly green glow.
"Fetch," the distant figure shouted, its voice faintly familiar.
The green glow began to move, flowing towards Cordelia.
Cordelia stepped behind Angel.
"Recognise it?" Angel asked, moving into a defensive position.
It did look almost familiar. Cordelia leaned forwards, staring at the misty green glow, trying to remember where she'd seen it before, then she smiled, recognising them from that business with the witch.
"It's a demon mist wolf thing, not as bad as it looks."
They might be big with lots of teeth but they were also slow and clumsy. Angel would have no trouble killing two of them.
"Amy said her mother got them in a sale," Cordelia added in a conversational tone, trying to impress Angel with her calm handling of the situation, "which just shows how mad she was. Everyone knows you can't buy anything decent at a sale."
The wolves were closer now, just fifty yards away. Cordelia stepped backwards.
"Buffy killed two of them, but some escaped when the witch died." Cordelia continued, almost enjoying herself. For the second time in one night Angel was relying on her for the answers, a good habit for him to get into. It would make it easier for her to persuade him to do the right thing.
Twenty yards away both wolves paused and looked at Angel. One sprang forwards, leaping for Angel's throat, but the other hesitated.
"Cordelia." Angel said. "What kills them?"
The wolf knocked Angel to the ground, but he rolled with the impact, then whipped his legs up, kicking the wolf in its stomach.
Cordelia took another step backwards, trying to remember what Buffy had done. "Rip its head off."
The other wolf slowly circled around the fight, then headed straight for Cordelia.
Cordelia began running.
The wolf followed, close enough that Cordelia could hear every footstep.
Cordelia speeded up, trying to lose the demon wolf.
The wolf ran faster, matching her stride for stride.
OK, so she couldn't outrun it, but why hadn't it run this fast in the first place? Cordelia thought quickly, then slowed slightly.
Just as she had expected, the wolf slowed down, staying just behind her.
Cordelia smiled. The wolf must be toying with her, trying to terrify her, a stupid thing to do, but demons were like that. They enjoyed the gloating so much they ended up giving their victims time to escape. Since these demons were so stupid they'd tried the same technique on the slayer she shouldn't have any trouble outwitting them.
Cordelia began looking around, hoping to spot something she could use against the demon wolf.
The wolf leapt over her head, landing in front of Cordelia. Before she could recover from the surprise, it knocked her to the ground, then loomed over her, its jaw wide open.
"No!"
The wolf looked up, then whined.
Cordelia smiled, recognising the voice of the ghost. Giles had given them all amulets, so it wouldn't be able to hurt her, but when the ghost made a spectacle of itself it might distract the demon wolf enough to let Cordelia escape.
"Mine," the ghost screeched, "My body. Mine. All mine."
A bolt of blood red lightning struck the wolf and the green mist boiled away, leaving the bare skeleton behind.
The demon yelped, then turned and ran, back towards Cordelia's house.
Cordelia stood up, dusting herself off.
"Ghost," she said firmly, "Explanation time," but no reply came from the empty air.
Cordelia walked slowly back to where she had left Angel, thinking about the ghost. First it harassed her, then it saved her life. Why? Cordelia struggled to think of a sensible explanation but soon gave up. Ghosts didn't think like people but Cordelia wasn't a ghost so there was no way she could work out what the ghost was thinking. She just hoped Giles would have an explanation. Normal ghosts were bad enough but being stalked by an insane ghost would be a whole new hell.
"Cordy?" Angel said.
Cordelia smiled. Angel had been running towards her but now he was just standing there, looking confused.
"Easy fight?" Cordelia asked, looking at the demon skull tucked under Angel's left arm.
Angel shrugged. "What happened to the other one?"
"Didn't you see it? It ran this way." Cordelia said, trying to decide what she would tell Angel.
"Where did it go?" Cordelia asked, looking around as if nervous. She was confident that demon wouldn't go come near her again, not after the scare it had got, but asking the question would give her more time to think about an explanation.
Angel should know about ghosts, since they were dead like him, but Angel would expect her to know about them too. She should be able to pull off the same cryptic act she had earlier, when talking about the anointed, but it wouldn't be easy. On the other hand, if she said she hadn't been told anything about ghosts she might be able to get lots of useful information from Angel, information she could use to impress Buffy and her friends.
"Back to Absalom."
"Absalom?" Cordelia echoed, wondering what Angel would think if she implied she'd killed the demon herself.
"A vampire." Angel explained. "I recognised his voice."
"So the master's got some new pets." Cordelia guessed, trying to remember if she'd ever heard Absalom's name before.
Angel nodded. "But what happened to the other demon?"
Cordelia sighed. She didn't want Angel to overestimate her martial skills, that could easily get them both killed, so she had to tell him about the ghost, despite the increased risk of Angel realising she didn't know as much as the story she had told him implied that she should.
"A ghost did." Cordelia said flatly, trying to sound as if ghosts were normal. "It's been following me around all day."
Angel looked surprised but quickly recovered his calm. "Why?"
"I don't know. Nobody warned me about this." Cordelia said, trying to sound indignant. She paused, feigning thought, then looked at Angel. "You must know about ghosts. Why is it doing this?"
Angel looked thoughtfully at Cordelia. "Shouldn't we go inside first. It's not safe out here."
"I'm never inviting you in." Cordelia said firmly. Still, Angel had a point. Being seen talking to strange men on the street wouldn't do her reputation any good.
Smiling sweetly, Cordelia looked at Angel. "Wait ten minutes while I change, then we can talk in the Bronze. You can tell me all about ghosts."
"The skull was back on its pedestal, but now its teeth were bloodstained. No one has dared move the skull since." Angel said.
"In my family we bury our parents." Cordelia said firmly. "We don't use their skulls as ornaments."
Angel smiled. "Someone else could have stolen the bodies."
"But that wouldn't make me the thief." Cordelia replied.
"Have you got any new jewellery? Some ghosts protect their family jewels and greed can conquer death. The Ashmore miser was drowned in the village pond by his son, a gambler who sold all his father's possessions to pay his debts. Ever since then -"
Cordelia listened carefully. Angel didn't know much about ghosts, just a few stories, but he did know more than Cordelia had. While none of Angel's stories matched her situation precisely they were giving her an insight into the way ghosts thought, an insight that would help her enhance her reputation with Buffy and the others.
She just had to hope none of them would see her talking to Angel. Buffy and Giles were busy in the graveyard but she had no idea where the others were. For the twelfth time that night Cordelia glanced nervously around the Bronze.
Xander and Willow were nowhere in sight. She was probably helping him with his homework again, which was fine as long as that was all she was doing. Willow did still seem too innocent to be trying anything with Xander, but after what had happened in the original future Cordelia knew better than to trust appearances.
Cordelia froze briefly, lost in the painful memories, then forced her mind back to the present.
Owen was in the Bronze, sitting alone at a table across the dance floor. He might talk to Buffy, but he didn't know who Angel was yet. Besides, he was too busy looking longingly at the door to notice Cordelia.
Relieved that nobody important would notice her talking to Angel, Cordelia went back to listening to his stories.
"It didn't care if its victims were innocent. It wanted its gold back. The watchers bound the ghost ninety years ago, but the bed of that pond is still strewn with jewellery and bones, and the ghost still haunts its depths. It can not leave the pond while the binding endures, but now all those who swim in its waters die."
"Where have you been hiding him?" Harmony asked.
"You're early." Cordelia said, wondering how she could explain away Angel without making Harmony suspicious.
Harmony sat down next to Angel, brushing her hand against his thigh as if by accident, then leaned towards Angel, who promptly edged away from Harmony. She smiled suggestively at Angel, and asked him "Do you come here often?"
Cordelia smiled, amused. Harmony was trying her best but she had all the subtlety of a brick. She might seek to imitate Cordelia's own polished charm, but she only succeeded in appearing vain, domineering and arrogant, completely unlike Cordelia herself. Harmony had never yet kept a boyfriend for more than one date; she stood no chance with Angel.
Angel looked at Cordelia. "Do you know each other?"
He had to be fishing for more information, since the answer was obvious.
"Of course." Harmony said, missing the undertones. "Cordelia is my best friend."
"Harmony isn't one of Buffy's friends." Cordelia said, telling Angel what he had really wanted to know.
Harmony scowled. "That what you were talking about? Forget about her. She's a psycho. She attacked Aura with a stick her first day here."
Cordelia couldn't let Harmony get away with remarks like that, not while Angel was listening. She glared at Harmony but before she could speak Angel interrupted.
Ignoring Harmony completely he stood up and looked at Cordelia. "I'll get that cross for you. We can talk later."
"Leave it with Xander or you'll make Buffy suspicious."
Cordelia didn't want anyone to start wondering why she got special treatment from Angel. Annoying Xander would be a bonus.
Harmony watched Angel's back until he reached the door then turned to face Cordelia.
"Who is he?" Harmony asked, leaning forwards, a hungry look in her eye.
"Buffy's oldest friend." Cordelia said, hoping that would put Harmony off.
"Is that why you're hanging around them? Are you two dating?"
"No." Cordelia scoffed. Even Xander would be better than Angel. At least Xander was human, and alive.
"Angel is too old for me." Cordelia added. "Forget about him."
"But-" Harmony began, then she looked at Cordelia. "Want another drink?"
The next morning, before classes started, Cordelia stepped into the library. She had to get Giles's advice about the ghost's strange behaviour, and it would be a good opportunity to see if Angel had found the cross.
Several large crates blocked her view of the room, probably the new books Giles had been expecting from the board, but she could hear Xander talking.
"No one should be awake at five a.m."
Cordelia stepped around the crates and groaned. Giles had started to tidy up but there were still dozens of piles of books on the floor, remnants of the ghost's tantrum.
"Why hasn't he put these back yet." Cordelia muttered, skirting the piles.
Willow looked up. "He needs to resort them first. It could take days."
Xander and Willow were both sat at the near end of the main table, talking to each other, while Buffy was at the far end, looking depressed.
Cordelia looked at the extremely tacky cross Willow was holding and smiled. It had to be the Du Lac cross; even Xander's tastes weren't quite that bad. Now that Angel had found it they should be able to find out more information about the anointed, and other vampire rituals, information that could give them a significant advantage over the original history.
"What's that?" Cordelia asked, faking curiosity.
"Angel gave it to Xander." Buffy said, sounding slightly jealous. "It's some special cross."
"Bad night?" Cordelia asked. She could guess the answer, but listening to Buffy grumble would help her image.
"Nothing happened."
"Nothing?"
"Six demons, but no anointed and no Owen. I spent six hours in a graveyard waiting for a prophecy that will never happen."
"But you killed six demons." Cordelia replied, trying to get Buffy to see the good.
Buffy scowled. "That's why I had to wait six hours. Giles was ready to give up waiting, then the first demon came."
"Six demons in three hours is too many, even for the hellmouth." Giles said, stepping out of the stacks, a book in his arms. "There has to be an explanation."
Cordelia nodded. If six different demons had found Buffy on the same night there must have been a lot of them out there,
Buffy glared at Giles. "But what about Owen? What do I say? Sorry about last night, I was in a cemetery, with the librarian, killing demons?"
Cordelia frowned. She could understand why Buffy was so annoyed, she would have felt the same way herself, but this wasn't the right time to complain. Buffy could have all the sympathy she needed later, but right now they had more urgent problems than Buffy's hurt feelings; something Cordelia had ample proof of in her school bag.
"You weren't the only one." Cordelia said, pulling out the demon wolf's skull. "Giles, you know how to destroy this, right?"
Cordelia thought she remembered what Giles had done with the other, but she wasn't completely sure and Angel hadn't know what to do either. That was why they'd decided to let Giles deal with it.
"You killed a demon?" Buffy spluttered.
Xander and Willow stared at Cordelia, their eyes narrowed, but Giles frowned at the skull.
"How?" Willow said. "It was bigger than you, and stronger too. Even if you were warned it was coming, which you couldn't have been, because you would have told us and, since you don't know anyone else who would know apart from us who didn't know, the only people who could have warned you were the people who sent it who wouldn't have had any reason to warn you, that warning wouldn't have done you any good without special help which you didn't have since the only people who can give you such help are Buffy and Giles, but they didn't know."
Willow hesitated, looking at Cordelia's face, then nervously added "And I've said too much haven't I, that is not in the sense of saying something I don't want you to know I know since there's nothing I know I don't want you to know I know, but because questions shouldn't be longer than their answers, most of the time."
Xander groaned.
Cordelia smiled. "Been drinking coffee again, Willow?"
Willow nodded, looking relieved.
Cordelia knew coffee couldn't be the real reason for Willow's jumpiness, not unless she was drinking it by the gallon, but it kept things simpler if she pretended to believe Willow's excuse.
It was already difficult enough to tell what Willow was thinking, despite the clues she kept dropping in her incontinent babbling, but if Willow realised Cordelia knew that Willow had suspicions she would either come up with some clever trick that would leave Cordelia with no idea what Willow was thinking or panic and mess everything up.
Still, at least Willow was still on the wrong track. From the way Willow babbled when anyone mentioned children it was obvious she'd been reading the notes Cordelia had been giving to Angel. Cordelia had no idea how Willow had managed that trick, since they'd been deleted the moment the computer had printed them, but it was lucky she had. It meant Willow was too busy chasing shadows to realise what Cordelia's real secret was.
"How did you do it?" Buffy asked.
"The ghost did." Cordelia looked at Giles. "But I haven't bought any old jewellery recently, or disturbed any graves. What does it want with me?"
Giles hastily concealed his surprise. "No family history?"
"No." Cordelia said firmly. If that had been the reason she'd have been haunted in the original history too.
Giles nodded. "The ghost does seem to consider you the guilty party, so none of the standard motivations can apply. Hmm, Purvis's monograph has the most comprehensive classification of hauntings. There should be an explanation in there."
Giles paused, looking sadly at the untidy piles of books. "If I can find it."
Xander looked at Cordelia, at Buffy's confused expression, then back at Cordelia. "Could we have that again, with subtitles?"
"Never read any ghost stories?" Cordelia asked Xander, then smiled, pleased at her own ingenuity. It was difficult to use the information she had about the future and the occult without making Giles suspicious but she had to do it; it wasn't just a good way to put herself in a better position to get revenge on Xander, the world needed the foreknowledge she had. Fortunately, she had had little difficulty thinking up explanations.
It had been awkward trying to get the information out of Angel though, pretending she knew as much as him while asking questions. Cordelia knew she was up to the challenge, but if she was going to keep up the pretence she was working for a secret society she wouldn't be able to bluff all the time. She might need to think about getting her own sources, for when her future knowledge let her down.
Giles smiled. "Not the best of sources, but they do contain a kernel of truth. Cordelia, I presume the demon wolf was trying to kill you."
Cordelia nodded. "It was waiting outside my house, and it had a vampire with it giving orders."
She hadn't actually seen that herself, she was just going by what Angel had told her afterwards, but mentioning Angel would just raise awkward questions. It was so much simpler not to bother Giles with the petty details and only tell him what he really needed to know.
Giles frowned. "The master doesn't have that kind of power, not while he's trapped."
"That's what happened." Cordelia said, wondering what Giles's problem was.
"The demons should have been automatically banished when the witch died. Only some great evil could keep them here, but the master can't work such magics while trapped nor are any of his minions capable of such a feat. These demons shouldn't have been here."
"But we've got the hellmouth." Cordelia interrupted. "Couldn't that explain everything?"
They were already dealing with two situations, the ghost and the anointed; Cordelia really didn't need a third problem.
"The hellmouth isn't strong enough to explain this."
"Why not?" Willow asked.
"Incarnate demons have to be flesh and blood. The mist demons aren't. Demons like that, demons whose bodies defy natural law, can not exist in our reality unless sustained by magic, but even here, in the presence of the hellmouth, there is not enough ambient magic to sustain such flagrant defiance of natural law unless a witch dedicates their life energies to the task."
Cordelia frowned, thinking about the demons she'd seen. There hadn't been many, but they had all looked like people in masks, most of the time. They might have been ugly, but she could easily imagine them all having livers and lungs, keeping them alive in the normal way.
"What about vampires?" Willow asked, "They don't breath or anything."
"Vampires are thought to be sustained -"
Buffy sighed.
Giles looked at her then cut his lecture short. "That was a simplification. If you want the full explanation I'll show you the books later. Right now, the key point is that the numian demon wolves should not still be here. I will need to consult my books."
Giles paused, polishing his glasses. "As for the ghost, Xander, it is clear that it bears some grudge against Cordelia, but it still protected her from the demon. There must be something it needs from Cordelia, but we don't know what. She's ruled out the most common motives."
"Um, can't we just ask the ghost what it wants?" Willow asked, looking doubtful about her own suggestion.
Giles frowned. "That is not a safe option. Seances are always dangerous, and we are on a hellmouth. Any error could have dire consequences."
That hadn't stopped Giles from trying to talk to Ms Calendar's ghost, but then Giles always worried too much.
"Who said seance?" Cordelia asked, wondering why Giles was making such a fuss. "The ghost talks anyway, and it can hear us."
Giles shook his head. "Not precisely. Ghosts don't hear the words we say, they sense the intent behind them. Similarly, many ghosts do not actually speak, they just force their thoughts into our minds where we perceive them as speech. Listening too closely to such a ghost without the protection the procedures of a seance provide and you will open your mind to permanent possession."
OK, that was a good reason not to listen too closely to the ghost, but there had to be something they could do.
"What can we do?" Cordelia asked.
"Research. It's fifty minutes till school starts. That should be enough time to get started." Giles said.
Xander sighed.
Cordelia looked at Xander and smiled. She wasn't too fond of the hours of boring research herself, but it would be nice to see Xander suffering to help her.
"Don't worry," she said, "I'm sure we'll learn to love research. You'll end up just like Giles, but younger."
Xander looked at Giles then groaned, hiding his head in exaggerated despair.
Cordelia quickly concealed her smile, then played innocent. "What did I say? What?"
"Where were you this morning?" Harmony said. "Hanging with those weird people?"
Aura winced, edging away from Harmony.
Cordelia smiled. "You seemed to like Angel last night, amnesia girl. I bet you've forgotten what I told you yesterday too."
Aura smirked, then quickly changed the subject. "That a new necklace?"
Trust Aura to notice that. Cordelia had put the anti-ghost amulet on a proper gold chain in the hope it would be less noticeable, and it was definitely less conspicuous than the string Giles had originally put it on, but buying a new chain for it might not have been the best idea.
"This?" Cordelia said, pulling the amulet out from under her blouse, "This thing? It's a good luck charm Rupert gave me."
Harmony glanced at the amulet. "But it's junk. If my boyfriend gave me that I'd dump him. Who is he, anyway?"
"Oh, you wouldn't know him. He's a university man, and wealthy too."
"Couldn't he have bought you something nicer?" Aura said, looking puzzled.
Cordelia smiled. "This is genuine ancient Egyptian, absolutely priceless."
Well, technically only the language was ancient Egyptian, some old prayer Giles had found, but she didn't need to bother Harmony with such unimportant details.
Aura gasped but Harmony seemed unimpressed.
"C-can I look at it?" Aura asked, holding out her hand.
"You can't touch." Cordelia said, stepping backwards. The amulet didn't look too bad from a distance, but Cordelia was almost certain the ancient Egyptians hadn't had any plastic. Aura and Harmony might be too stupid to notice the rest of the holes in her story, but they'd certainly notice that.
"Blind much?" the ghost snapped.
Cordelia groaned. If the ghost kept manifesting when she was with her friends her social life would soon be on the critical list. They wouldn't consciously remember the details, but they would remember that weird things had happened around Cordelia, and start avoiding her, a horrifying prospect. Worse, there was nothing much Cordelia could do to stop it happening, she just had to hope Giles would find a solution soon.
Aura shuddered. "Um. I've just remembered I've got to go," she said, then hurried off down the corridor.
Cordelia half-smiled. If her weirdness avoidance skills had been as good as Aura's then Cordelia would never have got caught up in Buffy's gang. Of course, if she hadn't Willow would have died on prom night.
"Playing ventriloquist?" Harmony sneered, "Part of your talent show act?"
There wasn't much wrong with Harmony's denial reflexes either, but sometimes these days Cordelia got the impression that even the hellmouth opening at their feet wouldn't shut Harmony up. She'd just attempt to deny it, then continue sniping.
Behind Harmony the ghost appeared, a blurred lump of red light.
"Harmony, serve me," it screeched. "Banish her. Banish the thief. Be rewarded."
"Nice act." Harmony said, looking at Cordelia.
"Harmony, leave now." Cordelia said. "You have to go, or you'll get hurt."
If Harmony didn't shut up and leave the ghost might just kill her, or it might possess her. Cordelia knew she was safe enough, since she had the amulet Giles had given her, but she couldn't protect Harmony and she didn't want to see Harmony hurt.
"Hurt?" Harmony drawled the word as if the concept were utterly meaningless. "By what? We're the only people here."
The ghost screeched angrily, then wrapped itself around Harmony's neck and yanked her into the air.
Harmony began screaming.
"Shut up!" the ghost roared, slamming Harmony against the wall. "Listen to me."
Harmony started sobbing quietly.
The ghost lowered Harmony to the floor. "You must help me. Cordelia has stolen my body."
Cordelia held her amulet out like a cross. "You're mad. I've not stolen any corpses. I'd remember."
Xander and Willow ran around the corner, looked at the ghost, and immediately pulled their amulets out.
The ghost laughed. "It's the three stooges; the thief, the dork, and the nerd. You can't stop me. Right is on my side."
"Hey!" Xander protested. "We're the good guys."
Willow looked at Harmony. "Is she all right?"
Cordelia nodded. "Just scared."
The ghost floated away from Harmony, then lunged towards Cordelia, red sparks crackling over its surface.
Cordelia's amulet flashed bright gold.
The ghost screamed in pain as it fell back against the opposite wall, its light almost extinguished.
Cordelia smiled. Willow's amulets hadn't worked very well, and they'd been smelly. Giles's amulets might look tacky, but they were much more effective. It was just unfortunate they only worked in self-defence, or Cordelia would have been able to chase the ghost away from Harmony, but Giles had flatly refused to even attempt to make anything they could actually attack the ghost with, saying that any magic touching the dead was dangerous so they should only do the minimum necessary to defend themselves.
"What do we do now?" Xander asked Cordelia.
"Wait for the ghost to give up."
"Don't worry. You're safe now." Willow said, coaxing Harmony upright.
Harmony looked around nervously, then shook Willow off. "Are you mad? You're the one who knocked me down."
Ignoring Willow's hurt expression Harmony rambled on, blaming Willow for everything the ghost had just done.
Cordelia glared at Harmony. "I've already told you to leave once. Must I repeat myself?"
"I'm not the one -" Harmony began, then looked Cordelia in the face. "Um, I mean you can hang with who you like but I won't join you."
"That's good denial." Xander said approvingly, watching Harmony walk away.
Willow looked nervously at the ghost. "Has it said anything new?"
Cordelia smiled. "It asked Harmony for help."
Xander laughed. "Harmony? What could she do? Buy it a new coffin?"
"It must be mad." Cordelia said, nodding, then patted Xander on the arm. "That was brave, running up like that. It might have been something dangerous."
It had also been incredibly foolish, but flattery was the best way to get Xander where she wanted him.
Willow scowled. "Shouldn't you be more careful what you say near the ghost?"
Cordelia glanced at the ghost, which still looked battered by its encounter with the amulet. "Why? It's harmless now."
Ignoring its whining, Cordelia turned her back on the ghost. "Where's Buffy?"
Willow stared at Cordelia for a second then shook herself. "Um, Giles took her into the sewers."
"Why?" Giles never went in the sewers. None of them did, apart from Buffy, and not just because of the smell.
"Oh, yes, you weren't here yet. The board sent Giles some special seals to demon-proof the library with but he's got to put some of them in the sewers underneath the school so he took Buffy with him for protection."
Cordelia smiled. "Demon-proof? So the board is good for something."
Willow nodded. "And they sent Giles all those extra books, books council members aren't normally allowed to read. That's why they wanted the extra security. It won't be completely demon-proof but they won't be able to just walk in and steal our books."
That was a change for the better, but the board's involvement worried Cordelia. These were people Giles respected, people who had already been fighting evil for decades when Giles was born, but they were panicking.
At first she'd tried to dismiss their warnings, telling herself that nothing was wrong. She was the one who had changed the future, for the better. The burst of bad omens must just be a coincidence. It wasn't as if she'd done anything that could cause it. No, it had to be the fault of this Omega who had been giving Buffy bad dreams, but Cordelia had been confident he was just another overhyped demon that Xander had never bothered to tell her about.
Now though, Cordelia was beginning to wonder. People as experienced as Giles said the board was shouldn't panic easily. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps there really was some dark god out there, plotting against them. It would certainly explain her persistent bad luck, but why wouldn't this Omega have been part of the original history?
Something about all this definitely felt wrong, but Cordelia had no idea what, or how to fix it.
"Cordelia." Xander said, "The ghost's gone."
Cordelia jerked her attention back to the present and smiled. "Has Buffy asked Owen out yet?"
Xander just rolled his eyes, but Willow began babbling excitedly.
That evening Cordelia went over to Buffy's house, prepared for a challenge. She had to make sure Buffy and Owen would stay together, not just for one night, but for months, either that or risk Buffy releasing Angelus. It should have been easy, the two of them were already flirting with love, but Cordelia knew the hellmouth was going to mess things up. Buffy was only going to have twenty minutes with Owen before Angel dragged her away, twenty minutes to so enrapture him that no hellmouth spawned terror could frighten him off. True, the anointed prophecy might fizzle, but Cordelia knew better than to rely on good luck.
Buffy would need all the help she could get, but Xander would be no use and Willow a positive hindrance. Fortunately, Cordelia was more than up to the challenge.
"Here, put these on." Cordelia said, handing Buffy a low-cut black top and some skin-tight red leather pants, "And you should wear a necklace."
Buffy looked doubtful. "Those? Aren't they-"
Cordelia interrupted. "Remember, you are the slayer."
"How could I forget, but -"
"There could be vampires in the Bronze tonight. If you have to keep disappearing you need to make sure Owen's attention doesn't wander."
Xander took one look at the outfit Cordelia had selected and began shaking his head frantically. "No, no. If his attention wanders you don't want him."
Cordelia smiled. It was pathetic the way Xander was trying to sabotage Buffy's date. He'd even wanted Buffy to dress like a nun, and all in the futile hope that Buffy would eventually pick him over Owen. Of course, if Xander knew the alternative to Owen was a vampire, his attitude would be very different.
Looking resigned Buffy began to put the outfit on, then stopped and looked meaningfully at Xander.
"You're not bothering me." Xander said, deliberately missing the point.
Cordelia sighed, then turned Xander around.
"Give it up," she said quietly, "You'll only get hurt."
Avoiding Cordelia's gaze, Xander began fiddling with a mirror. "What would you know? You've never been turned down. You've never had to wait and hope some boy would notice you. You don't know what it's like. I do. Buffy is worth waiting for."
Cordelia scowled, slapping Xander's hand away from the mirror before he saw anything he shouldn't. Thanks to Xander's betrayal she had been turned down. She knew exactly how painful love could be, and she knew that pain was all Xander would get from waiting for Buffy; she would never notice him that way.
"Remember, I'm your friend now." Cordelia said. "I'm only trying to help."
Cordelia didn't enjoy seeing Xander make a fool of himself, at least when she wasn't responsible, and besides, if she could persuade him to start taking her romantic advice it would be much easier to manipulate him, something she needed to do to get her revenge.
"Wow! I never knew being a teenager was so full of possibilities!" Buffy said, pulling on her boots.
Cordelia turned around and smiled. With Buffy looking like that Owen wouldn't be easily scared off. Clothes alone might not guarantee a successful relationship, but the right clothes were a good start.
The doorbell rang.
"That's Owen!" Buffy cried, dashing downstairs.
It wasn't. When Cordelia followed Buffy downstairs, at a safer speed, she saw Giles stood in the doorway, talking to Buffy.
"My calculations may not have been as far off as I thought," he said, holding up a newspaper cutting.
"Five die in van accident?" Buffy read.
"Out of the ashes of five shall rise the one. That's the original prophecy. Five people have died."
"In a car crash." Buffy stated flatly, challenging Giles to explain the connection.
"I know it doesn't quite follow but there's more. I've translated Du Lac's description of the harvest ritual."
"The harvest was weeks ago."
Giles smiled. "Exactly three weeks ago tonight."
"Is that significant?" Willow asked.
Giles nodded, pulling a notepad out of his shirt pocket. "Yes. Du Lac says 'Anointed is the vessel, blessed by his master.' He describes the harvest in detail then continues, 'But if the vessel should die before his master is sated the bond that binds them shall not be broken. Though the abyss of death separates them still they shall be linked, still the vessel shall heed his master's call. After thrice seven days he may return, bereft of memory, possessed of mystic might.' See, it all fits together."
Buffy looked hesitant, then said "May? Luke doesn't even have a body. How can he come back?"
"His demon will return from its afterlife and occupy the body of one of those killed last night. It's a vampiric parody of reincarnation."
"Hey!" Owen said, smiling at Buffy as he walked in, then he noticed Giles. "Um, hi?"
"You have a date?" Giles asked, surprised.
"Yes." Buffy smiled "But I will return those overdue library books by tomorrow."
"Wait, you're not getting off that easily."
"Man, you really care about your work." Owen interrupted, looking at Giles.
Cordelia frowned, trying to decide how to get Owen out of the way. They couldn't talk about the anointed with him listening.
"Um, Owen." Willow said quietly, nudging Xander.
"Yes, a couple of things about tonight." Xander added, pulling Owen away from the door.
Smiling, Cordelia followed the three of them. She hadn't had a chance to talk to Owen yet but now she would be able to give him good advice, advice that should ensure this wouldn't be his only date with Buffy.
"What, she doesn't like to dance?" Owen said, looking disbelievingly at Xander.
"Ignore him." Cordelia said, looking reproachfully at Xander. "I know what Buffy likes."
Cordelia paused, thinking about Angel, then looked at Owen. "Be mysterious. Don't speak unless she asks you a question, and don't give straight answers. Make her think you've got hidden depths. Then she'll want to unwrap your mysteries."
"Does that really work?" Xander asked, smiling hopefully.
Cordelia shook her head. "Not for you but Owen's naturally broody. Play to your strengths."
"Um, mustn't keep Buffy waiting." Owen said, sidling back through the door.
Cordelia followed him, Xander and Willow close behind her.
"Yes, and you'll face a pretty hefty fine in the morning." Giles said.
"Bye, don't wait up." Buffy said, avoiding Giles's gaze as she hurried away from the house, Owen on her arm.
"But, isn't something happening tonight." Willow said, looking concerned.
"Maybe. Buffy pointed out certain ambiguities in the translation and my calculations have already been proved inexact."
Cordelia frowned. That wasn't enough reason for Buffy to abandon her duties. Cordelia could understand why Buffy had downplayed Giles's concerns, she would have done the same herself if she'd had a hot date waiting, but she wasn't the slayer. Slaying shouldn't be the only thing in Buffy's life, or even the most important thing, but Buffy couldn't let anything else get in the way of the slaying. Buffy had learnt that by the time Cordelia had made her wish but it seemed she hadn't learnt it yet.
"What should we do?" Xander asked.
"You shouldn't do anything. Buffy may well be right. I'll just go to the funeral home, see if anything happens."
"This is bad." Willow said, watching Giles walk away.
Xander nodded. "I wish it was just bad."
"Don't worry." Cordelia said. Giles hadn't died in the original history so she was almost certain he would be safe, especially since Angel had said he would be hanging around the funeral home.
"Giles knows how to protect himself."
Willow didn't look convinced.
Cordelia paused outside the door of the Bronze. "Remember, act normal in front of Owen."
Willow just nodded but Xander smiled mischievously. "Cordy, don't worry. I'm sure Willow can think of an innocent reason for Buffy to leave her date for me."
Cordelia smiled faintly then slipped inside the Bronze, looking for Buffy.
"Cordelia!" Harmony said, smiling broadly at her friend.
Cordelia faked a smile. "Can't talk. I'm meeting someone."
Ignoring Harmony's affronted expression Cordelia left her standing by the door and stalked into the crowd. Much as she would have loved to talk she just didn't have the time, not with Giles in danger.
Why couldn't Xander have told her more about this evening? He'd gone on and on about the handful of times he'd done something useful, and hardly said a word about the other incidents. Well, it would be his fault if Giles got killed by those vamps just because she hadn't been told enough about tonight.
Angel wasn't doing his job right either. She had been expecting him to be guarding the funeral home, which would have kept Giles out of danger. Left to herself, Cordelia wouldn't even have bothered checking up on Angel. He was almost as strong as Buffy; a few vampires shouldn't have been any problem for him.
Willow had been worried though, worried about Giles walking into potential danger by himself. She had insisted that they follow him and Cordelia hadn't been able to object. Cordelia had wanted to go straight to the Bronze, where she could keep on giving Buffy and Owen dating tips, but saying that would have made it seem like she didn't care about Giles.
Instead she had let Willow persuade her to follow Giles, expecting to find that Angel had killed all the vampires leaving Giles completely safe, but there had been no sign of Angel and Giles had been trapped in a room full of corpses.
Cordelia stopped in the middle of the dance floor, half listening to the music while she tried to remember exactly where she had seen Buffy on this night the first time round.
"Buffy."
Recognising Angel's voice, Cordelia quickly turned and walked towards him.
"What do you know?" Angel was asking.
"Giles translated Du Lac." Cordelia replied. "She knows all about the anointed."
Cordelia paused and looked straight at Angel. "What are you doing here, alone with Buffy?"
Angel edged away from Buffy, looking apologetic. "I just thought I'd warn her. We need her."
"Angel's not with me." Buffy said hastily, then pointed at the bar. "I'm with Owen."
"You're here on a date?" Angel asked, clearly surprised.
Wondering where Xander and Willow had got to, Cordelia quickly glanced around the Bronze but she couldn't see them.
"Yes! Why is it such a shock to everyone? And, Cordy, why are you here?"
"Here you go." Owen said, passing Buffy a chocolate doughnut, then looked curiously at Angel.
"Um," Buffy said, looking at the two males, "Owen, this is Angel, and you already know Cordy. Angel, this is Owen, who is my date."
Cordelia caught sight of Xander dashing through the crowds.
As Buffy put her arm around Owen Angel looked at Cordelia. "This is good, right?"
Cordelia nodded, smiling. She could understand Angel feeling a little jealous but Owen was the best boyfriend Buffy could hope for. Angel would just have to get used to seeing them together.
"Hey! So, where do you know Buffy from?" Owen asked.
"Work."
"You work?" Owen asked Buffy disbelievingly.
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed, running up behind Owen.
"Look at this." Owen said, as he glanced first at Willow, then at Cordelia, then finally at Xander. "I never thought I'd see you and Cordelia so close together. Interesting."
Xander smiled. "You don't know the half of it."
Xander paused and pointed at Angel. "What's he doing here?"
"I guess the same thing you're doing."
Buffy looked at the crowd surrounding her. "Um, excuse me, what are any of you doing here?"
"Look, we've got to get to -"
Cordelia quickly elbowed Xander in the ribs. "Angel's here because of his work."
"We thought it would be fun if, um, we made this a double date." Xander said.
Cordelia frowned. That might explain why Xander and Willow had appeared in the Bronze, but it did nothing to help get Buffy out of the Bronze. The way Willow had used that flimsy excuse to wrap herself around Xander wasn't doing much for Cordelia's blood pressure either.
"You guys aren't seeing each other, are you?" Buffy asked nervously. "Remember the dreams."
Willow edged away from Xander, but kept one hand on his waist. "Don't worry. We'd never really, um, do that thing that you had nightmares about, but we can still pretend."
"Nightmares?" Owen muttered, then asked. "You guys are thinking double?"
"Treble," Cordelia said, trying to make sure Angel would stay with the rest of the gang.
"I knew it, Cordelia." Harmony said, walking up behind Cordelia. "You two are dating. Does he know about Rupert?"
"Rupert?" Buffy echoed. "Are you guys really together?"
"Rupert gave her that tacky necklace," Harmony said. "Just like the one Buffy's wearing."
Willow nervously fingered the chain of her amulet.
"They're both just good friends, like Xander and Willow," Cordelia said firmly, "and this is a private conversation. Go and find someone to dance with."
"But-"
Cordelia glared Harmony into silence. She didn't have time to waste placating Harmony, not when Buffy should have been out of the Bronze five minutes ago.
"Hey, maybe we should all go somewhere else?" Xander said, looking impatient.
"Including Harmony? " Owen said, looking at the five gatecrashers to his date.
Everyone except Harmony hurriedly said "No!"
Ignoring Harmony's offended scowl Buffy quickly said "So nice of you to ask but Owen and I were, well, Owen and I."
"You know what'd be cool." Xander continued. "The Sunnydale funeral home."
Cordelia sighed. Could Xander have thought of a more suspicious way of mentioning their destination?
"The funeral home?" Buffy asked.
"Actually, that sounds kind of fun." Owen said, proving he really was Buffy's ideal boyfriend. "Do you think we could all sneak in?"
"We saw some guys there earlier." Cordelia said. "They were having fun with Giles."
"Bite me." Buffy said quietly, then sighed. "Owen, I've got to go."
"I thought we were all going to the funeral home."
"No. You can't. But I'll be back soon."
"Buffy -" Owen said, leading her away for a more private conversation.
Xander sighed. "We really need a bat signal."