Sleeping With An Angel
© Alexis
The story is told from three POV's: Angel, Cordelia and Buffy plus one mystery POV. Set sometime after Shansu in LA. Angel knows he needs Cordelia more than ever and guards her every night. Read on to find out what happens.
Angel
When I saw her lying on that hospital bed, in so much pain, so vulnerable I don't think I've ever been more frightened. Even for Buffy, the girl who I've sacrificed everything I ever wanted for. She has her own strength. She can fights demons and vampires easily. She kills them everyday, so many that she's become immune to it. Evil doesn't faze her anymore. Added to that if she ever did feel scared she has a whole support team, Giles, Willow, Xander, that new girl Anya, Spike and the blond boy.Riley. Cordelia has Wesley, a bumbling Englishman and me, a two hundred and something year old vampire, who has a curse that prevents him for having any happiness. She doesn't speak to her family often. She's still angry with them for not paying their taxes, leaving her to fend for herself now. So I do the best I can.
I sit in the armchair in the corner of her room and watch her sleep. She's so precious to me I can't even begin to explain. If anything happened to her I don't know what I'd do. Her and Wesley are my family, my friends. I never fitted into Buffy's clique. I was the vampire that could go evil that just happened to be Buffy's boyfriend-protector-stalker.
I mean Willow was nice to me and Giles was mostly supportive even after I-or rather Angeleus- killed Jenny. Oz was a good guy. He suffered too, knowing he was different and had such a destructive power at his disposal. Xander didn't trust me at all. I was always on the outside. I barely spoke to Cordelia at all and now I can't imagine my life without her.
Here she and Wesley, are everything. The only thing I can offer her is my love and willingness to do anything to ensure she's safe. I swear to all the god's in the world I will do my best to keep her safe. She's crying out now. Time to start making good on my promise.
Cordelia
A little girl, she must only be about nine, is standing in the middle of a circle of vampires. They all have their game faces on and she's terrified. She's screaming for her mommy, her daddy. But they're not there.
"Hush little one, it'll all be over soon," one of the vamps tells her. She's trying to back away but they're closing in on her. One of them, a Dru lookalike, bends down and lets her game game face recede.
"Hey, come here honey. I won't let them hurt you" she says softly, smiling at the girl. She's so trusting so she runs to the woman's arms. "But I'll hurt you enough for all of them!" she laughs maniacally before her fangs grow and she bites the girl's neck.
The last thing I hear is the little girl's screams. The scene shifts and I'm standing in the shadows of an alley. I see a tall man pull a woman, obviously drunk into an alley. Another woman follows him.
He lifts her layered skirts up and holds her against the wall. This happened in the past, I can tell by the style of clothes. He thrusts himself inside her, muffling her screams with his hand.
"Darling, you do tease me," the blonde tells him. Her voice has a cold quality to it. I can just tell she's evil even though I can't see her face.
The man is laughing and the woman's now screaming in utter terror. The man placed his mouth over her neck and pierces the skin with his fangs. I can see the blood trickle down the woman's neck. She slumps and the man steps away from her, letting her limp body fall to the ground. He rearranges his clothes and walk's into the blonde's arms.
"I am so proud of you," she purrs, stroking his cheek. "Now let's go home. I need to get out of these clothes," she laughs as he does and walks away. Just as I think it can't get worse the man turns around, looking right through me. I can't believe it. I won't believe it. I hear myself scream but he doesn't notice.
"Angel!" I wake with a start and find myself immediately wrapped up in someone's arms. I hit him weakly before dissolving into hysterical tears.
"Shh, Cordelia, I'm here. Nothing's gonna hurt you. Shhhh," I hear Angel's soft voice soothe me.
"It was horrible! A little girl, all these vamps. She lied, she told her that she was going to be OK then she bit her! And this woman in an alley. Angeleus he raped her then drank her blood! And this woman was watching and saying how proud she was. I can't take this. Every night, please just do something," I cry.I feel him stiffen.
"Shhh. It's alright. I'll avenge them, I will. I'm here. You'll be alright," he rocks me gently, holding me tight to his chest and stroking my hair.
I still sob and he still holds me. I feel sleep take hold and clutch Angel's wife beater even tighter.
"Don't leave me," I whisper.
"Never," he whispers back.
Buffy
I can't believe what I'm seeing. I only came here to warn them about a Buesdo demon that seems to be working it's way across the country. According to Willow, its next stop will probably be LA, if it continues following the pattern. So I came straight away. Seeing Angel again didn't have anything to do with it.
So I went to Angel Investigations only to find it completely destroyed. Panic gripped my heart. What happened to Angel? Surely they would have called me if something had happened to him? But what if they were all killed. But Cordelia's parents would have told us right? I decided to go to Cordelia's apartment.
Willow told me her address after I rang her practically in hysterics. Apparently Cordelia had phoned her a couple of weeks ago. She didn't tell me. So I went up to the door and went to knock but the door flew open. I walked inside. I didn't want to call out in case I woke her. We aren't exactly best friends but I know I wouldn't appreciate being woken up at 3am in the morning.
So I walked inside and found myself in a nicely decorated living room I started walking towards a hallway to left but I felt myself be pushed towards another door. I pushed it open and knew I had found the right room when the scent of a woman's perfume hit me. And I smelt something else or rather sensed it. Angel. I pushed the door open further and walked in. My eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly.
I wish they hadn't.
He was lying under the covers. He wasn't alone. She had her arms wrapped around his waist and he was holding her as if she would disappear.
I backed out of the room. I couldn't stand seeing him with her. That slut. She knows about us so why as she stolen him? Then I realise that it might be my fault. I told him I moved on. And it looks like he has too. I'll go home and ring them. Let them know about the demon. I may not be a fortune teller but I see a long night of crying and eating ice cream in my future.
?
I saw her enter Cordelia's apartment. That bitch. She hurt Angel beyond measure with her cruel words. She thinks her feelings should come above everybody else's just because she has to help save the world.
That's why I opened the door for her and pushed her in the right direction.
I'd never tell them of course. I know Cordelia doesn't like her but Angel would be devastated if I told him that I don't think she is worthy of his love. He'd have me exorcised for sure. Oh well, the things we ghosts have to suffer. I'll just go and tuck them in a little tighter. They make such a cute couple.