Disclaimer: Mine, it is not. Etc.
Thanks to Lilykep for Beta-reading
Next Year's Girl
By Kylia
Chapter 8: I Suppose I Should Help
November 9th, 2000
Hyperion Hotel
Xander knocked on the door to Angel's room, exhaling slowly as he did so, a long sigh.
It had been a long day.
A long two days.
Sure, he'd gotten paid an insane amount of money for it, and that was nice, especially since they'd been able to save Virginia too - if they'd been too late to stop it, Xander wasn't sure he'd have been able to stomach keeping Bryce's money - but having to deal with someone thinking he was Faith, that he was as insane and psychotic as she'd gotten by the time she was working for the Mayor...
Maybe she was always that bad. Hard not to think so when she says shit like 'you lose' while bleeding out in your body. But Xander couldn't help but believe she wasn't always evil.
There was nothing for a moment after Xander's knock, and then he heard the door unlocking and Angel was there, as the door swung open inwards.
"Xander." Angel observed flatly.
"Angel." Xander nodded. "Have a minute?" He gestured to the interior of Angel's room behind him. Angel stepped aside, not inviting him in - not that that mattered, since he was a vampire, but Xander supposed it was the principle of the thing - and Xander walked in.
The room looked a lot like the other hotel rooms Xander had seen the inside of, though there were some pieces of art on the walls, and an open sketchbook on a side table next to a chair. Xander let out a long breath and looked back at Angel. May as well get right to it.
"Whatever Cordelia says, if you don't want me here, I'll clear out as soon as Virginia is out." Xander offered. Now if only I knew what I wanted him to say. Xander really didn't want to be hotel-mates with Angel, but the rooms were so much nicer than his current place, or any place he could afford steady rent on.
And I should be really careful with all this money.
Angel shook his head, "Cordelia was pretty insistent about it."
"Yeah, but this is your place, not hers," Xander pointed out.
"And there are some things it's not worth fighting Cordelia over." Angel pointed out.
Xander laughed softly, licking his lips and crossing his arms in front of his chest. "That's true, but, I mean... this is still your place. Working together..." Xander took a breath and let his arms fall to his side. "It's awkward, okay? Working with you, given... you know. Things."
"You mean the part where you hate me?" Angel questioned, raising one eyebrow.
Xander rolled his eyes. "I don't hate you, really, not anymore. But it's not like I like you, and you don't like me either." Xander didn't think he was going to ever like Angel, but the way he'd felt about the guy back in Sunnydale was pretty muted now. All the Deadboying and stuff was as much habit as anything else.
Well, that and it was fun to wind him up about it, not that Angel reacted often.
Fun to wind Cordelia up about it too... a little voice in the back of Xander's head pointed out. Xander tried not to listen to that voice, since that was also the voice telling him to pick fights with Cordelia because she was still sexier when she was angry.
"You're annoying Xander, but mostly I don't really think of you at all." Angel countered. "Before Faith showed up in your body, one time I thought of you was when Cordelia mentioned you."
Xander stepped back, blinking, feeling like he'd been hit in the chest lightly, or something... it was weird. "Cordelie mentioned me?" Did his voice sound weird there for just a second? No, no, nothing like that.
"Mostly to complain about how she was done with fixer-uppers after you," Angel replied. Was he smiling at that part? Xander tried to ignore the way that felt... bad. That detail. Like another punch, but this time in the stomach. Like, not doubling-over-without-air but still. Hurt. Or not even hurt, but like...
Still. The sort of punch you still feel.
"Glad I could be a lesson for her, I guess. Xander Harris, professional mistake." Xander muttered under his breath. "Okay, but fine, you don't think about me that much when I'm not around, but if I move in, you'll see a lot more of me."
"If you hadn't shown up when you did, Cordelia could have ended up shot." Angel shrugged. "Annoying I can handle."
Xander stared at the vampire, the way there seemed to be almost no visible reaction on his face, he seemed to be... way too casual about this. "Okay, seriously, Angel, what the hell? I know you have this mysterious brooding closed off billowy coat of pain thing going for you, and I'm not saying you don't make it work well, because you do, but for once in your goddamn unlife, show a little emotion? I have no idea what's going on in that undead head of yours." Here Xander was, trying to find out what Angel actually thought about Cordelia's idea, and the man would just not
"We're not exactly friends, Xander." Angel pointed out, though at least there was a bit of a sour, defensive note now, Angel actually shooting back. "I'm not particularly interested in sharing, least of all with you."
"There we go! Finally!" Xander grumbled. "Genuine reaction to something. Half the time you're a fucking statue with the emotion you show." Xander let out a long breath. "I'm not suggesting we start having a heart to heart and braiding each other's hair, Angel, just..." He sighed angrily, a harsh exhale. "I just want to know if you actually are okay with me moving in here - I'll stay on a different floor, stay out of your way, all that fun stuff - or not - or if you're just not wanting to argue the point with Cordelia, which I do understand."
Angel stared at Xander. "Are you looking for an excuse to say no to staying here?" The vampire finally asked, and Xander rolled his eyes. Who said you were allowed to be insightful, Deadboy?
"...Yes? No? Kind of?" Xander threw up his hands helplessly for a moment. "I don't really like you, Angel. Like I said, I don't hate you, but... you say I annoy you, you annoy me too. I'm not jumping for joy at the idea of living in the same building as you, at living in your building. Or on your charity." Xander took a breath. "On the other hand... I would like to be able to have a place with a shower that worked all the time and onsite laundry and had better beds than what I have at my shitty apartment. So... I don't know what answer I want from you, but I do know that I want more than just vague... nothing from you."
Xander really hated that he was basically admitting any of this to Angel of all people, but... he didn't really know what else to say or do here, to be honest. The other man was not actually being useful - big surprise there - and Xander was still...
Pretending to be Faith with Bryce had been... exhausting? Basically. So he felt more... tired. More willing to just...
"Well, Cordelia's right that having you here would certainly make things easier." Angel admitted. "And like I said, if you hadn't come when you did, Cordelia would have gotten shot. I can't always be here in case people come after Cordelia, or Wesley. Or if they come at both of them, or in numbers I can't handle. And you'd rather die yourself than let Cordelia die." Angel observed, leaning back just a little as he stood, eying Xander.
"I wouldn't -" Xander started, then cut himself off, because he'd be lying if he actually said that. "It's not just Cordelia. I... I wouldn't want anyone I care about to die." Which... yeah. That included Cordelia. Which had always been true, but Xander had never said it like that. Admitted it out loud. Not since the breakup, anyway. Especially not since he'd started dating Anya. But I mean... I've known Cordelia for years. We're not friends, though maybe we could be that again someday, but I really don't want to see her die, or get hurt or anything like that.
"Which... well, that doesn't count you. I mean -" Xander held up a hand. "Buffy cares about you, Cordelia does, and you're one of the good guys. Some demon or vampire or some other goon from Evil Lawyers Incorporated tries to kill you, I'll be happy to try and stop them, but..." Xander trailed off.
"You wouldn't rather die than I die." Angel finished.
"It's definitely not my preferred outcome, yeah." Xander admitted. He exhaled slowly again, feeling a sense of... just fucking tired again. "We're not actually getting anywhere, are we?"
"...Not especially." Angel actually smiled for just a moment, then frowned "If I'm being honest, Xander, I'd really rather you not be here. But like I said, Cordelia has a point, and you'll be useful to have around, and she wants you here, apparently."
Angel shrugged, stepping away towards his chair. "So... I can live with you staying here."
"A ringing endorsement, but I suppose the most I can hope for." Xander murmured. He kind of hated that Angel wasn't just saying 'no', so he could just make up his mind, but... I mean, like I said, I just annoy him. And I'll bet Angel gets annoyed by a lot of things. Once again, Xander really didn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. He supposed there were some advantages to that. "Alright. I'll stick around, at least until we figure out just what it is I'm supposed to help you fight, and then we deal with it. And..." Xander sighed. "Okay, so I'm doing this for Cordy, not you, but I'll try to call you 'Deadboy' less too."
Angel sat down in his chair and picked up his sketchbook again, picking up one of those thick charcoal-looking fancy artists pencils or whatever they were called. Angel started sketching something. "Is that really the only reason you're here?"
"It's the whole reason I'm in L.A. in the first place. Believe me, I didn't want to come, but those Slayer dreams were pretty insistent."
"I seem to recall you being more than happy to ignore prophecy and fate before." Angel pointed out. "You held me at crosspoint over it."
"That was to save Buffy. If the green demon at the Karaoke bar had said that I needed to die or that I needed to just accept that someone I cared about was going to die, then I wouldn't be here, so..." Xander shrugged. "But in the end, that's not what happened so here I am, still."
"Besides," Xander laughed, "It's different when it's what fate says about you. Easy to ignore what fate says about letting a friend die." Xander wasn't sure if it was quite that simple. Was it really the whole fate thing from the Host that was keeping him here? A lack of anywhere else to go? Some sort of bizarre penance as he stayed here and let Cordelia berate him? Xander had left Sunnydale because he'd felt like his life was stuck in neutral, doing nothing while nothing happened to resolve the situation with his body. With getting his body back, or any male body or just... not being Faith.
And so he'd left. And he'd had to get even more used to being Alex. Everyone he'd met thought he was Alex. And then it was back to Cordelia, Angel, and Wesley. All of whom knew him as Xander. Even Gunn had called him Xander, even if at first he'd thought he was just a normal girl. Apparently they'd told Gunn when the 'he' had slipped from Cordelia. Which... well, Gunn didn't seem bothered by it. From the sound of it, Gunn mostly cared if you were human and had a pulse, and weren't making trouble for him or his people. The rest didn't really necessarily matter.
"...it is easy to get caught up in prophecies about yourself." Angel agreed. Xander stared at the vampire for another moment, feeling like there was a whole story there, but also one that Xander wasn't sure he wanted to know more about. Taking a breath, Xander nodded and left the room. He headed back down to the lobby, where Cordelia was at the desk, talking to Virginia. It sounded like they might be talking fashion, and Xander grimaced.
"Did Angel try to say you couldn't stay?" Cordelia asked quickly as Xander got closer, looking away from Virginia.
"Why... why would he say that?" Virginia asked, raising an eyebrow, mouth hanging open a little as she looked from Cordelia, back to Xander. Or 'Alex' as she knew her as. I really hope I don't have to explain myself to anyone. Gunn's seeming 'shrug' to the whole revelation was nice. Xander didn't really want to have to tell the whole sorry story of body-stealing and watching yourself bleed out and... the whole being a guy thing to people. It was just...
Stop thinking about it. Xander closed his eyes a moment, hands balling into fists for a moment as he tried to focus on things right now.
"Angel and I have a long history of not getting along." Xander shrugged. "It's a whole thing. You know, him being a bloodsucking vampire, me not. He's one of the good guys. I just don't... I just don't like him." Xander shook his head. "But no. And why would you even -"
"Please." Cordelia rolled her eyes. "You went up to the same floor Angel was on when I said to go pick a room, and you weren't going to do that unless you wanted to talk to him. And you wouldn't exactly go up to ask him questions about whatever Russian author with an unpronounceable name he's reading tonight. So did he try to say you weren't allowed to stay? Because I will have words with him if he-"
Xander interrupted. "He didn't say I couldn't stay. Yeah, I asked him. Because this is still his place and being roommates with the guy if he really didn't want me here wouldn't be fun. But he said he was okay with it. And..." Xander shrugged. "So I'm going to go get my stuff and be back in... hour? Hour and a half? Leave my 'I'm moving out' notice for my landlord, and all that."
"Do you have to worry about breaking your lease?" Virginia asked. "I could- I mean, once I get my mom's money I could-"
"It's not really a long-term lease sort of place." Xander laughed. "Too slumlordy and cheap for that. Month to month. I already paid for this month, and he has weeks to find someone else to live there, if he can. God knows no sane person should, but it's cheap and that's kind of the problem."
"Alright." Virginia nodded softly. "If you're sure you don't need any-"
"I'm sure. But thank you." Xander nodded back. She was just grateful for the whole saving her life thing, and that was good.
November 10th, 2000
Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles
"...You're staying at Angel's hotel?" Buffy laughed. "And it was Cordelia's idea. Are you - are you serious, Xander?"
"I am, yeah." Xander shrugged. "I think the fact that she'd be able to charge me rent was a big thing for Cordy. It's not like Angel is making a whole lot of money with his saving people business. From what Cordelia's said, they don't exactly charge the people they save."
"And let me guess, Cordelia doesn't like that?" Buffy's tone seemed to be very 'oh look, Cordelia cares about money more than people' which... really wasn't fair.
"Mostly she'd just like to be able to eat and afford her own rent." Xander stood up, pacing around in the room. It was nicer than his apartment, but also smaller. He could live with that, but it did make him feel a little antsy. "I mean, she probably still likes nice shoes and dresses and stuff, but she's wearing knockoffs now. Nice ones, but knockoffs." And Xander still hated that he could even tell that.
"She's not really the same person we knew in High School, or even the same person we met when... you know, Faith." Xander added, gesturing helplessly, even with Buffy not able to see him do it.. "I mean, she is, but like... she's like High School Cordelia, but with twice as much empathy for her fellow human. And before you say something like twice zero is still zero-"
"I wasn't going to, Xander." Buffy interrupted. "...Cordelia and I... we didn't always get along, but it's not like she was a bad person. So yeah, I see what you mean." Buffy paused for a moment, then giggled.
"What?" Xander felt his eyes narrow as he dropped down in the chair, "What's so funny?"
"Just... how similar Cordelia is to Anya." Buffy was still giggling as she spoke. "I mean, they're both blunt and direct, and they both really like money."
"That probably describes a whole lot of girls." Xander pointed out. Though he had to admit that the direct way Anya always spoke and behaved had always been one of the things that first drew him to her. And he'd always appreciated it as they'd dated. And... yeah he'd liked Cordelia's tactlessness too, mostly. "How are Giles's customers handling her approach to things?"
Xander didn't talk to Anya every day (part of him wanted to, but... it wasn't a good idea), but every few days, and more than he checked in with Willow, Buffy and even Dawn. But the travails of her new adventure in retail featured quite a bit in her side of the phone calls.
Every time he called, Xander was worried Anya would mention something about finding some new guy - not that she didn't have every right to, but the thought still made his heart clench - but she seemed far too interested in making money to worry about dating. And while her vibrators and other toys weren't the same, Anya was currently satisfied with the orgasms they gave her, since, as she put it 'your tongue or penis are not available to take care of things'.
Giles's adventure into owning a business was unexpected, but Xander supposed Giles needed something to do. The guy's like, what, fifty? Surrounded by us kids all the time? Doesn't have any friends his age in Sunnydale. And magic stuff was something Giles knew...
Xander was very disappointed that no one had taken a picture of Giles wearing the wizard hat and robes that he'd been wearing when they walked in for opening day, but the description of it had been enough to get him laughing.
"Well, he hasn't fired her yet?" Buffy offered.
"Well, that's good," Xander chuckled. "Maybe she tones it down for customers to make sure she keeps getting their money."
"I haven't really noticed her doing it. It's part of her charm." Buffy chuckled. "It was Tara's birthday the other day..."
"Did my card not get there?" Xander blinked. He wouldn't have known it was her birthday coming up if Willow hadn't said something, and Xander had had no idea what to get her, and, of course, buying the thing and then mailing it... he'd settled for a card and a note apologizing for not having gotten her anything else. He felt like Willow would have called if-
"No, no, it did - it..." Buffy exhaled. "So you know how Tara's all... quiet and shy and nervous a lot? Doesn't like to speak her mind and stuff?"
"...yeah." That had made even thinking about what to get her easier said than done.
"Well, I'm pretty sure I know why she's like that. Her family decided to come down for her birthday." There was a growly note in Buffy's voice when she said 'family' that made it very clear to Xander - if he wasn't guessing it already - that Tara's parents were probably more like his own dad than Buffy's mom.
"How bad?"
"Every backwoods conservative redneck asshole misogynist stereotype come to life, and then some. God, you should have seen her brother, he was the worst, but -" Buffy cut herself off, making a 'gah' sound of anger. "They actually had Tara convinced - absolutely convinced - that she was going to turn into a demon if she didn't serve the men in her family's every whim. They had this whole story about a curse on every woman in the family, how that had been true for her mother... Tara was so afraid she would turn into a demon, that she'd lose Willow, that we'd all hate her..."
"And no demon?" Xander asked the obvious. He felt like Buffy would have led with 'oh and by the way Tara is a demon' if she was.
"Nothing. Just some story they'd been using to brainwash women. Spike even tried to punch Tara, to test it."
"Oh, please tell me someone had a video camera? Watching Spike recoil when he tries to hurt people never gets old!" Xander laughed.
Buffy chuckled as well, though Xander got the distinct impression she was rolling her eye at him on the other end of the line. "No, nothing like that."
"Well, next time, film it! No picture of Giles in the hat and robes, no video of Spike having his head explode on him, come on! You have to give me something here!" Xander finished laughing. "So what happened to her family?"
"We wouldn't let them take her. They ended up running away. Well, walking away. I really wanted her brother to give me an excuse to hit him." Buffy paused. "You know, just a little punch. Nothing serious. But no. I guess with all of us backing her up, willing to defend her... Tara found the courage to just tell her dad to leave. And they did. We had a nice party at the Bronze afterwards, and Willow and Tara did this slow dance and accidentally made themselves float while doing it." Buffy laughed, then trailed off a moment, speaking slowly. "It was... it was really romantic, actually."
Xander nodded slowly. It sounded it, especially from Buffy's tone. "Well, good for Tara. I'm glad things worked out and... that she's still there. Willow really loves her. A lot."
"She does. " Buffy nodded. There was a long pause for a moment, and then Xander spoke.
"To change the topic completely: Have you seen anymore of that blonde demon? The one that threw you around like a ragdoll?"
"I didn't say she threw me around like a ragdoll!" Buffy protested, raising her voice.
"Yeah... but that's basically what she did." Buffy's description of their fight hadn't been detailed, but Xander had read between the lines, since they were pretty obvious. Is she still around? Have you figured out how to stop her? What she wants?"
"I..." Buffy cut herself off a moment, then, "No. Haven't seen her. She's probably still around, but... she's not very bright. And easily distracted, I think. But no. No. I don't know what she wants. She was torturing the monk, and he died... she's looking for something and... I don't even have the slightest idea how to stop her when she shows up again." There was a plaintive, helpless note in Buffy's voice - she was speaking softly, sort of distant sounding.
It was something Xander wasn't used to hearing from her.
"If you need - I mean, here in L.A. I'm only a couple hours away, Buffy." Xander offered. "I mean - I may have... this... whatever, with Angel and now that I'm staying here I'll probably be even more involved in their cases and stuff but - if you need my help, I can-"
"I'll call you, I promise. But right now... as tough as she is, I'm not sure even ADAM would have been able to beat her." Buffy admitted, softly. "A second Slayer... just another person for her to throw around... like a ragdoll." Buffy grumbled that last part out, almost under her breath. Buffy paused, took a deep breath and went on raising her voice back to normal volume.
"She didn't know who I was, she doesn't know who I am, even, I think. Everyone's trying to figure out what she is. But we don't know what she is, or how to fight her... as soon as we do, I promise, I'll call."
Xander nodded. "Okay. Good." Buffy seemed a little off, but if - if she was serious about someone who could have beaten ADAM without the joining spell they'd done... well, it kind of made sense she'd be a little off, honestly.
"And your mom? How are things doing with her?" Since his own mother thought he was dead - not that she'd been all that great a mom, most days - Mrs. S was the closest thing he had to a mother, and when Dawn had first mentioned she was sick, or could be sick... Xander had been worried. To put it mildly. But... so far, no one had said anything was getting worse? Better than nothing.
"She's... she's doing okay, for now. Mostly." Buffy said after a long moment.
"That's good." Xander let out a breath. "Anything else to report, or should I let you get back to... whatever you were doing? You know, before I so rudely interrupted."
Buffy laughed, "Xander, It's good to hear from you, don't worry about that. Just -" whatever she was about to say, Xander never found out, as she cut herself off, paused a moment, then, "No. Nothing else to report. Just, more of the usual really."
Okay. That... isn't suspicious at all... But Xander also didn't know how useful pressing her over the phone would be. What could it even be about? Riley? Her mom? Dawn? Some big bad? Buffy liked to bottle things up sometimes, but if it was important, really important, she'd say something eventually, right?
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. Just the usual Sunnydale stuff. Vampires, demons, patrols. College."
"Okay. Then I'll talk to you later. Should probably stop for the sake of my minutes anyway," Xander chuckled. "I miss you, Buffy."
"Miss you too, Xander." She hung up, and Xander did the same, letting out a long breath.
Well, back to my life, already in progress here in Sunny Los Angeles, I guess?
November 14th, 2000
Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles
Though he was now living at the Hyperion- even after Virginia had gotten her money, and Magnus Bryce had been found in his mansion, dead by an apparent suicide after his company's stock value plummeted practically overnight - Xander wasn't really part of Angel Investigations. And so far, he hadn't helped them on any cases. Mainly because it seemed like they weren't taking cases, just Angel being obsessed with Darla.
If that T'ish Magev had actually still been there, then maybe Angel wouldn't still be this messed up over her. Then again, obsession did seem to be Angel's thing, so...
Instead, Xander hunted vampires and demons as best he could. It was harder, since they didn't so conveniently attack you just for walking out at night, and Xander had, since moving to L.A. had to deal with multiple attempted muggings, though stopping those was, thankfully, easy enough.
Not that they probably wouldn't go right back to mugging once their broken arms healed, but...
I'm not actually Batman, I can't go around seeking criminals out. Xander had been lucky that the one mugger that had had a gun rather than a knife had pulled it when he was so close to Xander that grabbing it was simple.
Whatever Cordelia thought, Xander didn't want to get shot. At all.
In general, Xander's goal with patrolling was to find nests he could take out. Vampires, demons... they had places they lived. If one attacked, and got away... sometimes he could track them down.
In the last few days, Xander had tracked vampires to a nest in a low-rent neighborhood, though he hadn't been able to get every one of them. Two had escaped, and Xander had no idea where they'd gone. He figured he'd start patrolling nearby neighborhoods, but...
On the plus side, thanks to the money from Bryce, Xander didn't have to scramble to find a new job just yet. And rent was... not bad. More than he'd paid for his last place, but not a ton more. For what he was getting? More than fair. Cordelia hadn't even pretended she wasn't doing him a huge favor.
I could have just found a slightly better place elsewhere... Xander considered. But this was worth it.
Thanks to not having a job, Xander could sleep in longer, which was useful given how late he sometimes had to stay out hunting.
So it was half an hour past noon by the time he walked into the lobby. Wesley and Cordelia at the computers, looking like they were reading intently through whatever was on the screens. Angel was in his office, judging from the light on inside it.
"I think I have something," Cordelia said quietly to Wesley. She gave an address that Xander thought was in Sun Valley.
"And what's in Sun Valley?" Xander asked, approaching, leaning forward, arms on the desk and looking at them both.
"Do you care?" Cordelia asked without looking away from the computer. "It has a view, berber carpets... very fancy. Belongs to a Wolfram and Hart corporate client, but sounds like they might have used it to house clients before." She told Wesley.
"But that's hardly enough to go on," Wesley pointed out. "I've found several properties that would meet that nebulous definition."
"I've got a feeling about this one. All we're going to get is possibilities until we start doing more than just checking property information." Cordelia wrote something down, and then walked over to the phone on the front desk, near where Xander was leaning. Cordelia rolled her eyes, but then picked up the phone, dialing.
Given Angel's current obsession, this had to be about Darla, right? There certainly wasn't anything else he'd be having them look into.
"Hello? I'm trying to reach the proper manager?" Cordelia asked into the phone. There was a long pause on the other end. "No, I can hold." She nodded. Xander heard hold music playing on the other end of the line.
"This is about finding Darla." Xander stated.
"And the prize for guessing the obvious goes to you, Xander." Cordelia snapped, one hand over the mouthpiece. "I ask again, do you care?"
"Since I'm living here now? And since I am supposed to help Angel? I suppose I have to." If Wolfram and Hart were the big bad here in L.A. - and it sure as hell seemed like they were - then them bringing Darla back from the dead had to be for a reason, and it wasn't going to be good. So... yeah.
"Well, you're here now then, so maybe make yourself use-" Cordelia cut herself off and pulled her hand off the mouthpiece, speaking into it . "Hello. Are you the property manager?" She paused again. "Oh thank god," she let out a sigh of relief. Cordelia's voice cracked a little as she went on:
"I know - I know this is a long shot, but I've been calling everywhere, I just - I'm trying. I'm trying to find my sister, and -" Cordelia was speaking quickly, and Xander stared at her. Though from the look on Wesley's face as he looked away from the computer screen and at her as well, eyes wide, mouth agape, he was as thrown by this was well.
"No, no I - My sister - she... she ran away from home. Years ago. She - she came to L.A. Looking to become an actress. I - we haven't heard from her in all that time." Pause, someone talking on the other end. "I- yes, no, I -" Cordelia's voice cracked even more, and if Xander wasn't looking right at her he'd say she was crying. "Our parents. Mom... and Dad... there was an accident months ago. They're in a coma. I know - I just know they'd want her there... maybe she - maybe her voice can -"
There was another pause. Xander could follow on with her strategy. Was she going to repeat this act with every place she called? And since when could Cordelia act this well? He'd seen her at the talent shows growing up. She could not act. But apparently she'd actually gotten better at it.
If he wasn't looking at her face right now, Cordelia's voice would have had Xander swearing she was crying.
"I - I hired a PI. To find her. He tracked her to Sun Valley. And - he said... he said she was..." Cordelia inhaled, "I - you know what happens to pretty girls in this town who try to become actresses and..." Another pause. "Please, I just want to talk to her. Face to face. Your building - it's one of the places she might be. Do you - can you -" Cordelia pleaded, nearly sounding like she was begging.
Another pause, the woman on the other end said something. "Thank you, thank you," Cordelia let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief again. "I - her name is Darla. I don't - I don't know what last name she might be using... she's blonde. Very pretty. She's in her late 20s, but she might look younger... pale. Maybe seems a little too pale? She never tanned very well."
You don't say.
"She... she is? She's there? Oh thank god, Sue, you - Thank you so much! I- no, please don't tell her. If she knows I'm coming, she might... when she left - hard feelings and arguments and - I just need to tell her face to face." Pause. "No. Thank you. Unit 319? Right." Cordelia hung up, looking at the receiver. "Emotionless delivery my ass," she muttered under her breath. Then she looked at Xander. "What?"
"Just... surprised. So you know where she is?"
"Assuming Sue the property manager is right, then yeah, that's where Darla is." Cordelia agreed. "I don't suppose you'd want to go get her for us? You know, since it's daylight."
Xander was about to say no, but it was a fair question. If he was going to be involved, and he had just decided he was...
"Go get who? Did you find Darla?" Angel was coming out of his office, an old, heavy looking book - the sort of thing the word 'tome' was created for, really - tucked under one arm. He looked at Cordelia by the phone, and Wesley by the computer. Xander raised an eyebrow at the vampire's eager tone - well, eager by his standards anyway, which was still bland by anyone else's. Was he always this emotionally repressed when he was human? Or was it just part of the brooding affect?
"We did. She's probably at this address." She handed the paper to Angel.
"Why are you so sure?"
"It belongs to one of Wolfram and Hart's corporate clients, Annapolis Olive Oil Import/Export. According to news reports, it's been investigated as a front for organized crime repeatedly," Wesley offered. "So they'd likely be happy to to Wolfram and Hart a small favor and house someone for them."
"It has a great view, and berber carpets," Cordelia added. Angel looked skeptical, which Xander didn't blame him for. Just open with the whole 'I called them' thing?! "And there's the fact that my older sister - blonde, goes by Darla, I don't know what last name she's using - is there."
"...what?" Angel stared.
"My older sister." Cordelia repeated. I've been trying so hard to find her. Ever since the accident that left mom and dad in a coma. When I explained the situation, Sue the property manager was very helpful. She even cried. Darla's in room 319."
"Let's go then," Angel started to turn.
"It's nearly 1pm, Angel." Xander cut in, and Angel turned back to him. "Are you planning to be a pile of dust when you grab Darla? Look, let me go grab her. She's just human, shouldn't be hard."
"And if Wolfram and Hart has guards?" Angel demanded.
"Then I'll beat them up. No killing, just a broken arm or two, some bruises, and them feeling really emasculated after being beaten up by a girl." Xander laughed.
"And if they have guns?"
Xander stiffened a moment. "Then I'll run screaming like a little girl and you can beat them up tonight. Angel, it's sun out there. Do you want to leave her alone until it's dark, or do you want me to go get her?"
Angel grimaced, but Wesley spoke before Angel could.
"Perhaps Xander and I could go for reconnaissance, and then report back," the Brit offered. "As it stands, you can't go out, but if we get a look at the situation on the ground... they may not even have any guards. And if there are, we'll come back and plan accordingly." Wesley opened a drawer and pulled out a camcorder. "We'll make sure we get a good idea of the defenses, if any."
"Okay." Angel nodded after a long moment. "If she's there, if you can get here... bring her back here."
"Of course." Wesley nodded. He looked over to Xander. "Are you ready?"
"I'm good." Xander nodded.
November 14th, 2000
Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles
"She wasn't there." Xander said with a raised voice as they came into the hotel. "No guards either."
"Wait, so she wasn't there as in she was never there, or-?" Cordelia started, but Xander shook his head.
"No, she was there before, room 319, great view... someone trashed the place before we got there though. Wesley has the footage." He gestured to the former watcher, who hurried over to the front desk to play it back for them. Angel and Cordelia crowded to watch it. Xander sipped at the bottle of water they'd bought on the way back, sitting down on one of the couches.
"Someone broke in?"
"Well, Wesley picked the lock," Xander answered Cordelia's question.
"But it was like this when we came in. No sign of forced entry, and here, see, the mirrors are broken. I think she might have done this herself." Wesley explained.
Not sure I agree with that. Who knows how long of not being able to see her face in the mirror, and now she can, and she just goes and breaks them all? I don't buy it. Then again, who else did it? Trashing the place could have been Wolfram and Hart taking her for some reason and she resisted, but breaking mirrors was pretty specific...
"Why would she break all the mirrors?" Cordelia shook her head. "Centuries without them and now she goes and breaks them? Seems... I just can't see myself doing that. At all."
"She's feeling the weight of her soul now." Angel explained.
Oh.
Right.
"...why - you don't know that for certain." Wesley insisted, but Angel shook his head.
"She was a vampire. Centuries of blood, mayhem and murder. Everything I did as Angelus, I learned from her, or did right alongside her. And now she has a soul." Angel had an earnest certainty, he tapped the table lightly with one finger as he spoke.
"You don't break every mirror you see," Cordelia pointed out.
"I don't have to see myself in them." Angel countered, and Xander had to concede he had a point. Standing up, Xander finished up his water and dropped the bottle in the trash as a phone started to ring and Cordelia went to go pick it up. Angel and Wesley were talking, but Xander ignored them in favor of watching Cordelia.
More interesting sight, really.
"Angel Investigations, we help the -" Cordelia paused. Blinked. "Really? You want his help. And this isn't some trap?" Cordelia scoffed, "And we're supposed to - okay, okay, I'll tell him." Cordelia held up a hand defensively. And who is this supposed to be? She pulled away from the phone, calling over to Angel.
"Angel."
"Cordy, just take a message."
Xander started at Cordelia's exasperated expression as she said his name again, louder. Xander's gut tightened, a little itching at the back of his mind. Something seemed off about this call.
"Cordy, please, I'm trying to plan-"
Cordelia brought the phone back up to her ear, and spoke, louder, "Hi Darla. He can't talk right now. He'll call you back once he's found you."
Wait. So Cordy and Wes go through all that trouble to find her and she just calls? This didn't scream 'trap'.
Angel ran for the phone and grabbed it as Cordelia moved to hang it up - slowly, very slowly.
"Darla?" He sounded like he didn't believe it was actually her there on the other end of the line, and Xander didn't blame him. "Where are you?" Pause. Cordelia moved away, and Xander walked over towards her as Angel talked to his sire.
"So this has trap written all over it, right?"
"Almost certainly." Wesley agreed.
"Duh." Cordelia crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And Angel knows that too."
"He's still gonna go to her if she gives a location." Xander didn't bother phrasing that as a question.
"Also duh. And you're going with him." Cordelia looked over at him, arching one eyebrow, her 'Queen C' face on, challenging him to disagree with her.
"I am?" Xander had been faced by that look too much as a kid to let it scare him. "Is Angel really gonna let me come with him?"
"Since when do you care what Angel lets you do?" Cordelia hissed, leaning closer. A little too close. Xander stepped back.
Not because he was afraid of her or thrown off by her.
Just.
Distance.
Good.
The satisfied smirk on Cordelia's face suggested she wouldn't believe him if he tried to tell her that thought.
"...okay. There's that. Technically." Asking Angel about whether or not it was cool if he moved into the hotel had been less about 'let' and more about politeness and... maybe looking for an excuse to say no. And saving future headaches if Angel wasn't cool with it.
"But I don't think I can chase after him if he decides he's doing this alone." Xander pointed out.
"You can drive after him. Xander, we both know that you'll go with him." Cordelia dropped the imperious expression, and just have him that look that always had him feel like she was seeing right through him. "You're not going to just go let Angel get himself dusted if this is a trap. Or worse, let him lose his soul."
...Well fuck.
"...I really hate that you know me so well, Cordy," Xander muttered. He turned towards Angel, who was putting down the phone, moving to grab his coat.
"Where is she?" Xander asked, "And mind if I borrow one of your weapons?" He gestured to Angel's weapons cabinet.
"You're not coming with me."
"Yeah, I am Angel." Xander said, flatly. "You know you're probably walking into a trap. I know you're probably walking into a trap. But you're doing it anyway." And I'm not letting you get killed, or worse. Buffy would be annoyed if I did, Cordelia would be pissed, and... well, you're on the side of good, so losing you would suck for all the lives you save, and stuff.
"She asked for my help. I can't turn my back." Angel insisted.
"You shouldn't," Wesley agreed, coming up behind Xander. "You know what she was."
"I know what we were. And I know what she is. I know what she's going through. I went through it alone. She doesn't have to." Angel said that last part in a softer tone.
"You're not alone now, Angel." Cordelia pointed out. "And because this could be a trap, Xander is going with you."
"Angel, we can waste time arguing if I'm coming with you, or I can come with you. Do you want to save your ex-girlfriend or not?" Xander cut in, moving over to the weapons cabinet anyway and grabbing an axe. There was one back in his room, a parting gift from Giles, but this was closer.
"Fine. But you do what I say, no arguing." Angel insisted, as he grabbed a sword from the weapons cabinet as well, heading for the door. The sun was starting to set by now, barely, thanks to the long hours of L.A. traffic from here to Sun Valley and back.
"...fine." I'm doing this because Angel's one of the good guys, not because he's Cordelia's friend.
November 14th, 2000
Wolfram and Hart Parking Garage, Los Angeles
"So, do we have a plan?"
"Wait for Lindsey to come to his car. Or, if he takes too long, go inside and get him myself."
Seems a bit off, waiting after all the urgency to get in here. But then, even Angel apparently knew better than to try to run in with all the security? This time?
"Ourselves," Xander corrected. "Which one is Lindsey, and why him?"
"Because he was the one on the other side of the call trying to stop Darla from calling me." Angel explained. "He was at the hand off, in the park. The Texan one."
Xander blinked for a moment, then nodded, vaguely remembering who Angel was talking about. He trusted in a vampire's photographic memory - and greater familiarity with the guy - to make it his job to spot the lawyer.
They moved further into the parking garage - there had been a single guard, but he was easy enough for Angel to bypass and subdue with a chokehold, but apart from that, there seemed to be very little security.
Xander saw a length of black cord in Angel's hands as they watched the car that Angel was sure was Lindsey's. "...are you planning on choking him with that?"
"It's an option." Angel admitted.
"Right, and he's going to be able to talk while you're cutting off his air flow." Xander snapped. "Evil lawyer or not, he's human, you can't go around torturing them for information."
"One, I know how to choke someone so they can still talk and two, it's not torture, it's threatening him with death if I don't like what he says, or doesn't." Angel ground out. "You said you would follow my lead."
Xander bit back a response at that. Angel's grim, determined tone was not one that would take argument. I didn't agree to just let you murder people, Angel. He'd just have to be very careful and if Angel went too far, he'd have to rescue the evil lawyer who probably had as much soul left as a vampire did.
But I don't know for sure, and he's still human, so...
Xander was about to propose another plan a few minutes later when Angel held up a hand and pointed. Someone was coming towards the car, one of those weird not quite square bag-briefcase things that lawyers carried on the TV shows under one arm, along with his suit jacket. In the other, he was dialing a number on a cell phone. Angel darted quietly towards him as the truck of his car popped open, wrapping the cord around Lindsey's neck.
"Where is she!?" Angel demanded, growling in Lindsey's ear.
"I was just-" Lindsey started, but Angel tugged tighter on the cord, enough that Lindsey couldn't talk. Xander moved towards the two, ready to grab Lindsey if Angel didn't let up in a second-
"You get just enough breath to tell me where she is. No excuses, no explanations, no wasting my time."
Lindsey, struggling for air, hit a button on his phone and the sound on the other end came through on speaker phone. Cordelia's voice with 'the familiar 'Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless'.
"Hello?" Cordelia repeated when there was nothing.
"I think you can lose the choking, Angel," Xander suggested. He grabbed Angel's arm, not pulling it away from Lindsey yet, but he was about to. In the end,e ither because he had the same idea, or maybe because of Xander's implied threat to force the issue, Angel let go of Lindsey, pulling the cord away from his neck.
"I was just about to call you." Lindsey explained. "They're going to kill her, and you're the only one who can stop it. She needs you." There was an intensity in his tone, the 'kill' and the 'she needs you'. Xander could only assume these lawyers were good lairs, but Lindsey did not look put together at all, his shirt rumpled, and half-untucked, hair out of place, and of course, he had been calling Angel.
Standing closer to Lindsey as he was, Xander noticed that Lindsey's other hand, the one that hadn't been holding the phone, was fake. And not a great fake either, it looked like some sort of obviously fake ceramic thing. I could be wrong, but I don't think he was missing a hand last time I saw him...
Of course, it had been months. Maybe he had to cut it off to feed a demon or something?
Maybe for a trap, but the trap was already set with Darla's call. Seems elaborate. They could have just had a bunch of people waiting for Angel here in the garage.
Why don't they? They know she called him, right?
"You're lying." Angel moved to wrap the cord around Lindsey's neck again, but Xander grabbed the Lawyer's arm and tugged him away before Angel could do it.
"Angel, he's cooperating." I wonder if the big evil I'm supposed to protect Angel from is himself. This Darla stuff is pushing him beyond all reasonable limits. Then again, reasonable and Angel weren't really friends either. "Even if he's leading you into a trap -"
"I'm not." Lindsey interrupted. "They've decided to shut down the project, they've lost control of her. I can't - you can't let her die." And why does Lindsey care? The pleading note in his voice as he insisted on Angel saving Darla seemed to make it clear to Xander.
The evil bastard had a crush. Or something. He cared about her at least.
I mean, I guess even evil has feelings? Spike loved his precious insane Drusilla, after all.
"Then tell us where she is. Inside?" Xander gestured towards the elevator into the building proper.
"No. They don't like to kill humans onsite if they can avoid it. There's an abandoned bank on Figuero and 9th." Lindsey said quickly. "I'm pretty sure that's where they'll-"
Angel lunged at Lindsey again, and it was all Xander could do to tug the lawyer back enough that Angel was only able to grab onto the front of his shirt, rather than his neck. "Pretty sure?!" Angel demanded, shaking Lindsey.
"I'm not exactly in the loop on this anymore, but that's where they like to handle this sort of thing." Lindsey ground out, not sounding or looking at all afraid of Angel, all his fear for Darla.
"I think he's being serious here, Angel." Xander offered. But even if this was a trap - Lindsey's protests to the contrary being meaningless - the trap had to have bait for it to work. So Darla would probably be there.
He'd be able to smell if she wasn't, right? Freaky vampire senses and all that.
"She'll be down where the vaults used to be." Lindsey insisted, sounding a bit hoarse. Angel let go of Lindsey's shirt, pulling back.
"If this is a trick, if she's not there, I'll be coming back for you." Angel said calmly. He smirked. "Or maybe I'll come back anyway, for old time's sake. How's the hand?" He looked at Lindsey's fake hand, eyebrow raised. The malicious glee in that question - well, glee by Angel's standards anyway -
"If you don't save her, I'll torch your hotel while you're sleeping." Lindsey countered, running his real hand over his neck, which was starting to bruise.
"You can try," Angel countered, then moved off, out towards the exit of the parking garage, starting from a quick walk into a run. Xander caught up with him easily as they moved to Angel's car.
"How far is Figuero and Ninth?" Xander asked as they reached Angel's car. "Do we have time?"
"We'll make it." Angel's answer was as unhelpful as it was nondescript. Though given that he broke at least two traffic laws within the next minute, the how he planned to make sure they made it was pretty clear.
November 14th, 2000
Abandoned Bank, Los Angeles
They reached the bank in what had to be record time. The whole building was abandoned and open, no doors, some caution tape and no trespassing signs, but not even a whole lot of either of those. There was a large, windowless white van out front, empty.
Perfect for carrying someone to their murder. Angel must have gotten the same idea, because he was jumping out of the car from practically the moment it finished breaking. Xander fumbled with his seatbelt a moment, then chased after Angel, following him inside
The interior was bare safe for a few front-desk type places that might have been built into the floor. There were stairs down, and Angel raced down them, Xander still following close. They heard voices.
"Let's just kill her and get this over with, okay?"
Xander caught up to Angel as they came around a turn, into what was probably once a vault, a blonde woman in green on the ground, propped up on her elbows, looking up at three men in white janitor outfits. One had a gun and was pointing it at her, flicking the safety off.
I guess the outfits are because they 'clean up' messes? But why white? That just seemed like a recipe for expensive laundry bills. Then again, maybe the lawyers expense those, somehow.
Angel didn't bother with any threats, or comments. No quips, but that wasn't surprising. He just charged, tackling the one with the gun to the ground, wrenching the weapon out of his hands and tossing it aside.
The other two tried to grab Angel and pull him off the the third by, but Angel kicked out, catching one in the leg and sending him sprawling. Xander grabbed the other one by the shoulder, spinning him and punching him in the gut, pulling his punch at the last moment so it only knocked the wind out of him, nothing worse.
The man doubled over, gasping, and Xander smashed his knee into the man's face, again holding back a little, but he still smashed his nose into his face, a sickening crunch. Xander grimaced, but he had to finish this guy off quickly. He shoved the goon away. Angel was still fighting both, having been forced to let the one he'd takened up by the other. Both had stakes out now.
I guess they were prepared for Angel to interfere, but really? Three normal humans versus Angel?
Xander tried to grab one of the other guys, but he spun, stabbing out at Xander with the stake. Xander pulled back, and hissed as it hit his arm, cutting him a little. Damn that's sharp! It didn't do more than cut, but it stung like hell. Xander grabbed the man's wrist and tightened, forcing him to drop the stake. He tried to punch Xander, but Xander grabbed his fist.
Unfortunately, while his strength meant meant he could hold on easily, Xander was wide open - the 'janitor' kicked, connecting with his stomach, not quite winding Xander, but knocking him back enough that he let go of the goon, staggering back a pace.
Fuck! Xander was used to fighting vampires who were so used to being stronger than their prey they got lazy, or never learned how to fight. Gritting his teeth, Xander ran at the guy before he could turn and face Angel again, and punched him in the shoulder, sending him reeling back. Xander didn't pull his punch anywhere near as much as he probably should have, but the guy would live from a shoulder punch. Xander shoved him to the ground, as Angel tossed the last guy into the wall, and moved over to Darla, who was now propped against a wall, trying to stand up.
"Darla?" Angel helped her stand up.
"Angelus. My sweet, darling boy." She murmured. "You came for me."
"You asked for my help." Angel said, just as quietly. Darla reached out to cup his cheek, and Angel pulled back slowly. Xander bit his lip, feeling a bit like he was being a voyeur at some intimate, private moment, and...
"Guys, we can save the 'heartwarming' reunion for later." Xander suggested. None of Wolfram and Hart's cleaners were dead, and while they were all out for the count for the moment, groaning or whimpering in pain, the one with the broken nose especially, that might not last.
"...right. Darla, come with me." Angel practically scooped her into his arms and carried her quickly out of the bank to the car.
That really felt easy. Xander considered. Only three guys. No demons. They had to know Darla called Angel. Maybe they wouldn't have expected Lindsey to spill so quickly or easily, but...
I don't think Angel is actually going to sleep with her. He's not that stupid. So what did Wolfram and Hart want him to do? What was the point of Darla?
And was Xander supposed to stop it, or was there something else that was the thing the Host had seen coming?
Sure hope it's something else. I really don't want to get caught up in Angel's soap opera.