Chapter Two: A Vision
"Look who's here, it's Angel and Cordelia and Wesley," Willow said as she leads the Angel Investigation team into the Summers' living room. She faltered on Gunn and Fred's names.
"Gunn," Gunn said. "Two 'N's."
"Fred," Fred said meekly.
"Gunn and Fred," Willow repeated.
Buffy's family and friends waved. They were all surprised to see the AI team.
"What are you doing here?" Xander asked rudely.
"Well, Cordy had a vision about terrible demons called Xenex," Wesley explained. "It's very large with quills and poisonous fangs. It would seem it would take all of us to stop it."
"Is that true, Angel?" Buffy asked ignoring Wesley.
Angel shuffled his feet and looked over to Wes who gave a small nod to go ahead.
"Like Wesley said, Cordy had a vision and we came," the vampire said.
"What and you just had to come?" Xander asked in an irritated tone. "You could've called. We could've handled it without your help."
"And if that were the case," Wesley said after clearing his throat. "We would have called. But that is not the case. You will need our help."
"Buffy can handle anything," Xander again.
"Shut up, fanboy," Cordelia snapped.
"We get it, Buffy's great but like it or not, Cordy had a vision and we," Gunn said pointing at each member of Angel Investigations. "And it's our job to try and stop them from happening."
"Well, just tell us where to go and we'll handle this," Xander.
"Everyone calm down," Willow insisted. "I'm sure we could use a little help with these demons."
"They're very deadly," Wes said. "There are two and it will take more than the Slayer to defeat them."
"Well, it's a good thing they have a vampire," Spike said coming out of the kitchen.
Angel's team jumped in surprise. They did not know that Spike was on the side of good now.
"It looks like we should talk more," Cordelia said looking at Willow who had the grace to look sheepish.
"Sorry," the witch said.
"It's alright," Wesley said. "Anyway, I have done my research and know that it will take all who are capable of fighting to defeat the demons. They are not to be taken lightly."
"So, you're here to help?" Buffy asked to clarify. She was again staring at Angel.
"Wes, Gunn, and I are, yes," Angel answered.
"What, not the women?" Xander nearly snickered. "Well, I'm not surprised. Cordelia was not one for fighting."
"She sure as hell can kick your ass," Gunn said.
Xander glared at the taller man.
"Can we just stop fighting," Cordelia said weakly. Her breathing was suddenly labored as she swooned. Her head flew back and she cried out in pain.
Angel was quick to catch her and lifted her into his arms. He carried her to the sofa, before placing her down.
"What was that?" Buffy asked. When no one answered she asked again. A little louder. "What was that? What's wrong with her?"
"A vision," Wesley answered. "Will one of you get a glass of water?"
Willow hurried into the kitchen.
Fred dug through Cordelia's smallest bag, looking for the pain medicine she knew was in there.
"Do they always do that?" Buffy asked as she watched Cordelia's body thrash for a few more minutes.
"Yes," Angel said quietly. "They always hurt. She feels every emotion, every cut, every stab, and every bit of pain that the innocents in her visions feel."
"God, that sounds like torture," Dawn said.
"Yes," Angel said. "But she refuses to give them up."
"She carries the burden proudly," Wes said.
"That doesn't sound like the Cordelia Chase we used to know," Xander said.
"People change," Wes said.
Buffy looked at each member of Angel's team. They were concerned about the most selfish girl she had ever met and for some reason that made her blood boil. Especially the way Angel was looking at Cordelia like she was something so precious.
Cordelia gave one last spasm before the vision ended. She fell limp on the sofa. Her eyes remained closed as her face pinched with the residual pain that remained after the vision. She took several gasps of are before she spoke.
"The Scoobies," she said hoarsely.
"What about them?" Angel asked. His hand was pressed against Cordelia's cheek.
"Dead," Cordelia whispered. "All dead. Even Spike."
"You saw us all die?" Buffy asked as she moved closer to Angel and Cordelia.
"And felt it," Cordelia answered. "I saw and felt you all die. I felt all of your fear."
Tears were in her eyes. Fred handed her the medicine. Willow returned with the glass of water. Angel took the glass from her and helped Cordelia take a drink from it.
"You can't fight without us," she pleaded after swallowing the pills. She was gazing up at the Slayer with big, sorrowful brown eyes. "You can't do this alone."
"Ok," Buffy said feeling sorry for the Seer.
"We will need to come up with a plan," Wesley said.
"Why should we listen to you?" Xander asked aggressively. He was still unhappy the LA crew came onto their territory and was telling them what to do.
"I'm not asking you to obey me," Wesley said. "We need to work together or we all will die."
"It's my job with the help from my friends, to prevent the visions Cordelia sees," Angel said. "I am her champion."
"Champion," Xander scoffed. "First Buffy, now Cordelia. Can't you find a dead girl to date?"
Anya slapped his arm and he flinched.
"I'm not apologizing," he said.
He moved closer to Cordelia and glared down at her. Angel, Wes, and Gunn went to block his approach to the Seer. To his credit, Xander didn't back away.
"He'll hurt you just like he hurt Buffy," Xander warned. He could still see her through the gap between Angel and Wesley. "He'll be all broody and he'll cling to you and be there for you. Then, he'll leave you and break you."
"It's not like that," Cordelia argued. "Angel and I aren't together like that. We're friends, best friends."
She looked up at Angel. He didn't say anything.
"Right?" Cordelia pressed. She looked to her friends. "Guys?"
No one said a word. Angel turned to her and gave her the 'puppy dog eyes' that made her cave in to his whim on more than one occasion. Cordelia gasped when she something more than friendship in her eyes.
"Not now," Angel said when she was about to say something.
"Right," Wesley said. "We need to focus on defeating the Xenex demons."
Buffy stared at Angel and Cordelia. Angel was turned away from the Slayer so, she couldn't see the vampire's face. Cordelia looked confused and Buffy could tell that she didn't know if she and Angel were more than friends.
"Yeah," the Slayer said as she turned to look at Wesley. "What are we dealing with?"
For the next hour, the two groups discussed on what to do. They still had a day and a night before they had to face the demons.
Later that night, Cordelia sat outside on Buffy's porch. She had a blanket draped over her shoulders. She was thinking about Angel.
She wondered about the vampire's feelings and Angel's. She couldn't help thinking that, without her knowing it, Cordelia had begun to think of Angel as more than a friend.
The door to the house opened and Buffy stepped out. She had a jacket on as she came to sit beside the Seer on the top step.
"So, you have visions?" Buffy asked. "How did that happened?"
"You remember Doyle?" Cordelia began.
"Yes," Buffy said. She vaguely remembered the man who worked for Angel.
"Well, he kissed me before he died," the Seer continued. "The kiss passed his powers to me."
Buffy looked at Cordelia. Really looked. Cordelia really had changed, matured.
"So, you and Angel?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know," Cordelia answered honestly.
Buffy gulped. She hoped that the Seer and Angel weren't having romantic feelings for each other. Deep down, the Slayer wanted Angel's love and for him to love her and only her for the rest of her days.
The woman sat side by side in silence for 5 minutes. While they were silent, a light began to engulf them. They didn't notice as the light started out small and grew and grew until all they could see was light.
"What's going on?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know," Cordelia said. Her voice was shaking with fear.
They continued to glow. They felt their bodies began to fade. They felt like they were becoming empty, becoming nothing.
They heard footsteps pounding closer to them. They heard their names being called. Then there was nothing.
When Angel and Willow opened the door, a light blinded them and they could not see the Slayer and Seer. When the light faded away, the witch and the vampire saw no one. Cordelia and Buffy were gone.
END OF CH. 2