'Over The Next Horizon'
Author: Karen
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be. Just the story I’m afraid.
Feedback: Yes please.
Pairing: A/C, W/S, Fr/Gu,
Timeline: After season six
Spoilers: Season six
Archiving: If you want it take it just tell me where it ends up.
Synopsis: Three months after Angel has been rescued from the deep, Cordy has floated back down and Spike has been souled; Cordelia, Willow and Fred are faced with a difficult choice. The lives of the people they love or working for the dark side and life on the run. Guess which one they choose?
Rating: Overall an R I think?
Spoilers: Seasons 5/6, Angel 2/3
Summary: Humour, Angst, Romance and lots of bloody bits of other people’s bodies if Spike gets his way. (Let’s face it he will. Who could refuse that man anything?)
Dedications: For everyone who kept mailing me with an interest in this story. Thank you. Jen, the most understanding beta in the world. Love ya babe. Ina, for cracking the whip and keeping me busy this summer. Mel, mutual admiration societies r us. Hurrah for naked Spike!
Part 5.
Spike stared around him at the now light mauve faces and wrinkled his brow
“Let me get this straight. Red and a couple of Angel’s girlies have gone missing. All of you have had your heads too far up your bums to notice and some demon saw them in some else’s head bein’ attacked?”
He paused as five heads nodded in agreement
“He told Angel, Angel told you and you all put your heads together and decided the best course of action was to dye us all purple?”
Giles scowled
“Of course not, don’t be ridiculous. Lorne deduced there was a reason the girls had run off and figured that the most likely reason was that we were all being threatened or held over their heads in some way. We performed a simple revealing spell to see if we had any traces of dark or powerful magic on us and voila!”
He waved an irritated hand through the air and Spike frowned
“He dyed us all purple?”
Buffy sighed
“Keep up. We’re purple because we’ve been cursed.”
Spike nodded slowly
“Aah. And why am I being dragged into this again?”
He turned and looked over his shoulder as a voice spoke behind him
“Simple, my little Billy Idol wannabe, obviously someone thought that you were of some importance to the little red head and included you in the hex-fest. Lucky you huh?”
Spike stared for a moment at the muddy brown face with the little horns beaming at him from the screen of the laptop
“What the bleedin’ hell are you?”
Lorne looked offended at his tone
“Well I can see the whole sucky personality issue isn’t just a localised side effect for the one souled vamp. It’s an across the board thing, huh?”
Spike scowled deeply as he heard his grandsire’s voice from off screen
“Hey!”
“Is that the poof?”
Lorne nodded
“Yup, he’s busy brooding at the moment but I’m sure when he’s pulled his thumb out from his butt he’ll be only too happy to speak to you.”
Spike opened his mouth to deliver a scathing reply but before he could utter a word the demon disappeared from off screen and Angel’s glowering face replaced it
“Spike.”
Spike curled his upper lip and snarled
“Poof.”
The two vampires eyed each other with mutual disdain
“Still a big prancin’ wanker then?”
“Still chasing things you can’t have, William?”
Buffy stepped forward hurriedly
“Ok, kinda chokin’ on the testosterone here boys. Angel, be nice, Spike has a soul now remember? Spike, just be…..not you for a few minutes, ‘k?”
Spike curled his lip
“Twat.”
“Wannabe.”
Buffy scowled
“Guys enough already. Our friends are missing and need our help and we’re all under some kind of curse, get a grip!”
She watched as Spike obligingly took his seat again and pretended not to see when he flipped Angel the bird. She was also struck temporarily blind when Angel returned the favour with the international gesture for ‘dickhead’. Giles cleared his throat
“Well, now we have some clue as to what led to the girls’ disappearance, what do we intend to do about it?”
Everyone turned back to face the laptop as Angel growled
“We find whoever’s done this and we kill them. All of them.”
Spike grinned mockingly
“Well, well, look who’s grown a pair in LA. Didn’t think you had it in you.”
Angel’s face turned away from the screen briefly and then everyone jumped as he howled “You bastard!” and lunged off screen. Buffy ran to the counter top and yelled frantically
“Angel! Angel! Come back! Angel!”
From off screen shouts and yells could be heard and then Lorne’s face beamed uneasily out at them
“Hi, we’re going on a short break now, normal service will be resumed when we’ve drugged the big guy to the gills. Angel, not the window!”
A loud crash was heard and then the screen cut out suddenly, Buffy turned to face the others
“What the hell is going on?”
A Very Cheap Motel Room.
“What the hell is going on?”
Cordelia snarled the question and unwittingly echoed Buffy as she stared down at the man before her. Lindsey shifted uncomfortably on the bed and flexed his wrists in their bonds behind his back. He looked up into Cordelia’s furious eyes and said dryly
“You know, when someone saves your life it’s traditional to buy them a drink and say thanks, not tie them up and interrogate them for hours in a smelly, roach infested motel room.”
Cordelia placed her hands on her hips
“Oh excuse me born-again-boy, I didn’t realise you were on the forty eight hours out of the year where you actually give a shit. And for the record, you didn’t save my life; you merely shaved a few minutes off the stretch between me and dinner. ‘K?”
She turned and accepted the sweet smelling tea that Willow offered her and then almost bit through the mug when the other girl sat beside Lindsey and held an identical cup to his lips.
“Willow, stay away from him.”
The red head glanced at the seer and said calmly
“He’s tired and thirsty and it wouldn’t hurt you to be a little more accommodating.”
Cordelia spat tea over the floor
“Accommodating? He’s a prisoner. Hello? Am I the only one that gets that?”
Willow nodded and said with just a hint of reproach
“I get that. I just don’t get why you’re all ‘Nazi Bitch From Hell’ over it. He helped us and then we tied him up and let you rag on him for hours. I think he deserves a little courtesy.”
Lindsey dimpled at her
“Thank you.”
Willow rolled her eyes
“I said courtesy, not roll out the welcome mat and slaughter a fatted calf. There’s still the matter of blowing up Wesley, trying to drive Cordelia insane and raising Darla in a box to work through. I’m nicer than she is, I’m not stupid.”
Cordelia smirked as the redhead stood up and went to rejoin Fred on the opposite bed and Lindsey’s face fell.
“Hah.”
She took a long sip of tea and fixed her eyes on him as she swallowed
“So tell me again why you’re here?”
Lindsey sighed and for what seemed like the hundredth time in an hour said
“Lorne got a vision you were in danger and sent me to help you while he went to Angel. I’m your protector.”
Cordelia smirked and waved her hand mockingly towards him indicating the scratch at his throat from her axe and his bound hands
“Good job.”
“Again I’ll draw your attention to the saving of your life.”
“You did NOT save my…..”
They both paused as Fred spoke up from her cross-legged position on the bed
“Will you two quit it? Cordelia, come and look at this.”
Cordelia sent one last poisonous look at the seriously disgruntled ex-lawyer and crossed to her friends to peer down at the laptop before her. On the screen was a full colour picture of Lorne on stage at Ellie’s club and down on the right hand side was a smaller picture of Lindsey singing on the same stage. Cordelia swallowed suddenly a lot more worried, she looked at her two friends and Willow said sombrely
“We may have a problem.”
The three girls turned back to look at Lindsey and he frowned as he took in their pale faces
“What?”
They continued to stare at him and then Fred reached out to lay a trembling hand on Cordelia’s arm
“I think he’s on the level.”
The seer closed her eyes and summed up the situation in one fierce, succinct word
“Shit.”
LA
“What the hell were you thinking? Of all the hair brained, dumb ass, chuckle headed things to do. I’ll tell you big guy sometimes I have to wonder how the hell you made it through the last two hundred and fifty years in one piece.”
Lorne dampened his cloth in the bowl of warm water at his side and then slapped the sodden cloth against the scowling vampires head and began to clean the long gash there uncaring of the pained wince or the low growl as Angel caught sight of the cause of his anger
“Oh don’t be such a baby.”
Angel’s eyes flashed yellow as he glared around the Host’s body and snarled at a nervous looking Wesley being cleaned up by Gunn and Connor. Lorne slapped the vampire briskly around the head
“Stop it, he’s here to help.”
“He took my son.”
Connor looked over at the pain and rage in the low voice and his eyes met the tortured gaze of his father for a second, their eyes held and then the young boy turned back to taping a cut on the Englishman’s arm
“Will you cut it out? He nearly died, you tried to smother him and now you’ve thrown him through a window, I think you’re even.”
Lorne stepped back and eyed the slightly damp vampire
“There, as good as new. Unfortunately.”
He rolled his eyes as Angel jumped to his feet and pushed past him intent on getting his former best friend the hell away from his son and ejecting him once and for all from his unlife. Gunn took a step but Connor beat him to it and calmly stepped in front of his father
“If you touch him I’ll leave and I’ll never come back.”
Angel recoiled at the cool words and a look of hurt and betrayal came over his face. He raised his hand and pointed at the huddled form on the lobby couch
“He’s the reason you grew up in that hell. He’s the reason we lost all those years. He’s the reason you tried to bury me in a box at the bottom of the ocean for all eternity and now you’re trying to defend him?”
His voice cracked at the end of his impassioned speech and Connor’s face softened briefly as he met the anguished eyes above him and then his mouth firmed and he straightened his shoulders
“No, I’m not trying to defend him. I’m trying to keep him alive so he can be of use to us in finding Cordelia and Fred. That is what is important now.”
He gestured behind him and kept his eyes on his father as he said levelly
“I will do what ever I have to if it means they come back alive and you should want to do the same. He is paying for what he did. When I found him he was so poisoned with alcohol and bitterness he could hardly stand. Smell him, smell the sickness.”
Angel sniffed the air and hid a wince at the sour smell of Wesley’s flesh and sweat as the alcohol in his body worked its way around his bloodstream. He smelt the decay of a once fit body and he saw with his own eyes the decay months of abuse had caused. Connor continued in the same level tone
“He’s lost everything. His family and friends, his work, his purpose and most of all his dignity, he’ll suffer for his actions until the end of his days.”
The boy took a breath and forced the next words out knowing how much they would hurt his parent
“If you hurt him now then you really are the monster I always thought you were and there will never be any part of you I can call Father.”
Angel blinked in shock and reached out a hand imploringly to his son and said pleadingly
“Connor, he took you away. Please.”
Connor remained silent and Angel spun away from him with what sounded suspiciously like a sob and headed for the stairs
“Fine, he stays, but the minute we get the girls get back he’s gone and I don’t want to see him again.”
Connor turned to Lorne with wide eyes as his father disappeared around the top of the stairs and the green demon shrugged
“Well, that could have gone better.”
He smiled at the boy’s stricken expression
“Don’t sweat it hun, he’ll come around.”
I hope
Sunnydale
Xander followed Giles as the older man went to the bathroom and snagged his sweater as he opened the door
“Giles, I need a word.”
Giles turned with a pained expression
“Can’t it wait? I just need a moment.”
Xander shook his head and glanced over his shoulder making sure none of the others were in earshot
“No, I think I’ve got an idea.”
He spoke in a low, rapid voice and Giles’ impatient expression changed into one of cautious hope and, slightly hurtfully, shocked surprise
“Good God, Xander I think you might have something there.”
The young dark haired man grinned
“I have my moments.”
Giles shook his head slowly
“I really think it might work.”
He shifted uncomfortably
“Just give me a minute and we’ll put it to the others.”
He turned to go into the bathroom and then stopped and looked over his shoulder saying seriously
“You know every now and then you amaze me.”
He disappeared at speed behind the door and Xander leaned against the wall grinning goofily at the wall opposite
“I know the feeling.”
End Part 5.
Title: Over The Next Horizon
Author: Karen
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be. Just the story I’m afraid.
Feedback: Yes please.
Pairing: A/C, W/S, Fr/Gu,
Timeline: After season six
Spoilers: Seasons 5/6, Angel 2/3
Archiving: If you want it take it just tell me where it ends up.
Synopsis: Cordelia, Fred and Willow are on the run and have just been reluctantly joined by Lindsey. Angel, Gunn, Lorne and Connor are still in LA and have discovered there’s more to the girls’ disappearance than meets the eye and have informed the Scoobies. Everyone is angry and annoyed but most of all Spike, he’s still pink. Oh, and Connor brought Wes to the hotel to help get the girls back and Angel threw him through a window. I think that’s it.
Rating: Overall an R I think?
Summary: Humour, Angst, Romance and lots of bloody bits of other people’s bodies if Spike gets his way. (Let’s face it he will. Who could refuse that man anything?)
Dedications: As always to Jen, whose hard work and patience makes this so much easier for you guys to read and understand. Mel and Ina, who keep the feedback a comin’ and keep making me laugh. And Ianthe, Vidya, Nage and aptomec(<-?) who are big with the feedback and incredibly patient when I’m off on yet another jaunt round the Buffyverse and not finishing this fic. Thanks guys!
Part 6a.
Sunnydale.
“Toth”
Buffy turned to Spike
“He called you a Toth. It means like moron or something.”
“Oi!”
Giles lowered his glasses and glared at his Slayer
“Buffy that joke wasn’t funny the first time, kindly pay attention to the matter in hand.”
The small blonde grinned unrepentantly
“Sorry, couldn’t resist.”
Giles sniffed and pushed his glasses up his nose ignoring Spike’s outraged expression
“As I was saying, Toth. I take it you remember the demon that separated Xander two years ago?”
Anya nodded enthusiastically
“Yes, that was most exciting.”
Five pairs of eyes swung round to stare at her and she shrugged unembarrassed
“What? I found it most enjoyable, although Giles was most unsympathetic when I requested delaying their reintegration. I believe he cost me a most entertaining night.”
Buffy and Dawn sniggered as Giles and Xander blushed a fiery red and Spike looked disgusted
“Hey, demon-girl, just fed. Watch it with the visuals.”
Xander glared at the blonde vampire
“Hey, I’m a nummy treat remember?”
Spike looked even more offended and groaned
“Do you mind?”
Giles slammed a heavy book against the wooden table
“I believe that’s my line. When you’ve all quite finished can we please get back to the matter of three missing girls and the dangerous and bloodthirsty people pursuing them?”
A silence fell around the table and Giles continued
“Thank you. And I hardly think this is appropriate conversation when a young child is in the room.”
Dawn grinned
“Don’t mind me.”
Giles gave her a withering look and cleared his throat pointedly
“Well, as I was saying, Toth succeeded in separating Xander with the aid of the P’rulajemina device. Xander suggested an idea to me earlier and I believe it has some merit. With certain modifications I believe we can use the device to cast a separation spell on a small group and allow the unknown curse to cling to the doubles allowing the original individuals to leave undetected and find Willow and the others.”
Buffy’s mouth fell open
“Xander thought of that?”
Xander nodded proudly
“All by my little Zeppo self.”
Buffy exchanged an impressed look with Dawn and Anya
“Whoa, go Xan. Way to brainstorm.”
She turned back to Giles and her voice hardened as she said seriously
“When do I leave?”
LA.
Connor took a deep breath and, for the second time in a day, knocked on a door he’d really rather never open. Unlike Wesley’s, however, this one remained firmly shut. He bit his lip and looked along the corridor where Lorne nodded encouragingly and raised his hand to knock again
“Dad? It’s me. Connor.”
The silence stretched and Lorne grunted in annoyance at Angel’s continuing stubbornness
“Sweetie, just go in.”
Connor’s eyes widened and he shook his head firmly. No way was he going in there. It had already taken everything he had to come up and knock in the first place, ignoring his father’s obvious desire for alone time and busting in on him uninvited was not high on his to do list. He had turned and started back down the corridor towards Lorne when he heard Angel’s low voice
“Come in.”
Lorne gave the boy a thumbs up and a wide grin and then made tracks back downstairs and away from the angst fest. Connor watched him go and, for a moment, was half tempted to follow him, then he remembered he was The Destroyer and he didn’t run from anything and reluctantly turned back towards Angel’s room.
Angel was seated in his favourite chair staring down at a picture in his lap as Connor entered. His body was slumped in the chair and his entire posture screamed defeat and misery
“What is it?”
Connor winced and hovered by the door uncertain of how to proceed. Even when Angel had finally broken free of his watery tomb and set eyes on his son for the first time in three long months his voice had never sounded this cold or distant. The teenager edged closer into the room and said quietly
“I wanted to see how you were.”
Angel shrugged
“Fine. I’ll see you later.”
Connor nodded and half turned away and then stopped and burst out
“You know this isn’t easy for me either.”
Angel looked up and eyed him disinterestedly
“Oh yeah? What?”
Connor waved his arms helplessly
“All this. You, this place, those people. I didn’t choose this you know.”
Angel shut his eyes and leaned his head back in exhaustion
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us.”
Connor nearly growled in frustration
“Don’t you want Cordelia back?”
Angel kept his eyes shut and shrugged
“You know, Connor I really don’t know anymore.”
Angel’s son took a shocked step back and stared wordlessly at the being that had helped create him. Perfect face, good strong body, average hair……and a self-pity streak a mile wide that you could use for an extra freeway.
“What is the matter with you?”
Angel opened his eyes at the shout of frustration and watched as his cool, calm son lost it all over his bedroom floor
“You’ve sulked for a month that Cordelia left you and then when you find out that she’s been forced in some way you stamp about growling and shouting and when I bring you someone who may be able to help us you try to kill him! You’re arrogant and selfish and so self centred I’m amazed you can keep your balance long enough to walk across a room without falling over.”
He gasped for breath and waved his arms wildly around him
“And look at this place. Four bare walls and a bed. This isn’t a home, it’s a cell. I lived for all those years in a wooden shack with nothing more than my father and some furs on the floor and I never felt like it wasn’t home.”
Angel sprang up and clenched his fists
“Don’t call him that.”
Connor raised his chin too angry to heed the warning tone in Angel’s voice
“What? Father? He was, more than you’ll ever be.”
He ducked as Angel seized the chair he had been sitting on and threw it into the wall and roared
“I AM YOUR FATHER.”
The boy straightened and looked the enraged vampire in the eye
“Then act like it.”
Crummy Motel No 2.
Lindsey nodded his thanks as Fred released his wrists and grimaced as he rubbed the feeling back into them. The dark haired girl backed away from him and joined Cordelia and Willow on the bed to watch him warily. Lindsey tried a small smile
“This is nice.”
Cordelia followed his gaze around the room. Damp walls, two sagging double beds, a ripped and scuffed chair and a virulent orange carpet.
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Bangkok Hilton
“It’s all we can afford.”
She caught Willow’s eye and raised an eyebrow in query, the ex-witch looked at Lindsey for a moment and then nodded. Cordelia sighed
“Look, Ambiguity Guy, I want to try something on you. Will you let me?”
Lindsey looked at her apprehensively
“Try what?”
Cordy pushed herself to her feet with a sigh and walked slowly over and sank down beside him
“It’s similar to Lorne’s trick but more…..”
Fred smiled as she trailed off and said brightly
“Showy?”
Cordy grinned and nodded
“Showy. That’s it exactly.”
She met Lindsey’s eyes and he frowned as he realised how tired and worn she looked. Her skin had no glow, her hair hung limp and with ragged ends against her face and he traced a still healing gash along her collarbone with a finger. Cordelia flinched back and glared
“Watch it, Mr Feely.”
Lindsey gave her a quick grin and eyed the slightly puffy skin around the cut
“Looks like it isn’t healing that well. What happened?”
Cordelia folded her arms and said stubbornly
“I’m sorry that’s your business because?”
The man shrugged unconcerned, folded his own arms casually and leaned back against the slightly sticky wall
“It’s not, just want to be able to let know Lorne know what happened when you drop dead of blood poisoning.”
Cordelia's eyes narrowed and her mouth opened but fortunately Willow got in first
“There will be no telling of anyone anything is that clear?”
Lindsey turned and looked at the slender red head and shrugged noncommittally causing Willow’s resolve face to drop down like a steel trap
“I said, there will be no telling anyone of anything is that clear?”
Lindsey met her resolve face with one of his own
“I’m here for Lorne…..”
Fred opened her mouth and said hesitantly
“And y’all wanna keep him alive, right?”
The dark haired man looked startled at the soft question
“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Cordelia glared at Fred
“Nothing. She didn’t mean anything.”
“Like hell, what’s all this got to do with Lorne?”
The three girls were silent for a moment and then Cordelia said firmly
“Let me do my thing and then, if you’re on the level, we’ll tell you everything.”
Willow gasped
“Cor, no!”
The Seer ignored her and kept her eyes on Lindsey’s face
“Well?”
He nodded and said firmly
“Do it.”
Sunnydale.
“Why can’t I go?”
Spike gritted his teeth as the Slayer’s incessant whining and wondered not for the first time what his demon had ever seen in her. Apart from the shining blonde hair, lithe body and ability to fuck like a rabbit of course. He blinked as everyone stared at him and then frowned
“Did I just say that out loud?”
Buffy scowled at him and said tightly
“Yes.”
Spike grinned and said unrepentantly
“Ooops.”
Buffy opened her mouth and then abruptly swung back to Giles
“Why can’t I go? I’m the obvious choice.”
Giles forced his mind away from Spike’s remark and focused on his Slayer
“Buffy, you are the Chosen One. One as in the singular and we don’t have a spare….”
“But we will, that’s the crux of the plan remember? Having a spare!”
He blinked as an entirely inappropriate image rose in his mind. Two Buffys and…..
Like a rabbit? Good Lord, really?
He shook his head and focused on the protector of the world and the rather adorable pout she had on her face
“Buffy, when we use the spell the double will only have the curse and the original’s form not any of their intelligence or personality. We can, perhaps, add a modicum of fighting ability but that’s all, we can’t have a sub standard Slayer running around the Hellmouth for any length of time.”
His voice gentled and he gave her a small smile
“It didn’t exactly work last time.”
Buffy blinked and then slumped back into her chair in defeat
“Ok, fine, but who is going to go? Gunn and Angel have to, obviously, but we can’t just leave them to go their merry slayin’ way without a Scoob to back them up.”
Xander raised his hand slowly
“I’ll go.”
Giles shook his head
“No Xander, it’s out of the question, I’m sorry.”
The brunette frowned and eyed Giles unhappily
“I’m sorry what? Will’s my best bud, I’m going, end of story.”
Giles folded his arms and said firmly
“No, you are not. You are needed here and we have no idea how long this will take. You have your job, your apartment and your commitment to Buffy to consider. We simply cannot spare you.”
The younger man looked torn between surprised gratification at his surrogate father’s words and anger at his refusal
“G-man, it’s not your decision to make…..”
Spike shut his eyes as the table erupted into a fierce argument and, not for the first time, cursed the decision ever to come to this crappy little town. He frowned and reached a decision and thumped his hand down on the table
“I’ll bloody do it.”
He looked at the stunned faces around him and then lingered for a moment on Dawn’s. The young girl stood frozen in surprise and then slowly a wide, thankful grin stole across her face, Spike nodded in acknowledgement and repeated himself firmly
“I’ll do it.”
LA.
Angel stood and watched the hunched figure that sat on the bench in the courtyard for a few minutes. This wasn’t the Wesley he remembered. His Wesley was, ok not the most coordinated guy in the world, but self-assured and confident in his abilities and his place in the world. This Wesley was a sad lost figure who started at shadows and watched others with an uneasy eye as though waiting for the next blow to fall.
The vampire stepped out into the moonlight and cleared his throat and watched his former friend flinch so hard he fell off his uneasy perch on the bench. Angel waited until two suspicious eyes came up over the wooden surface and then said firmly
“We need to talk.”
The eyes widened and then Wesley nodded his head briefly, wincing in pain and embarrassment as his nose bounced off the seat. Angel nodded and walked down the steps towards him and in the hotel lobby Gunn grinned admiringly at Connor
“Kid, you got game.”
Connor gave a somewhat confused smile and nodded back
“Thanks.”
I think.
Crummy Motel No 2.
Lindsey stared at the floor with his head in his hands and tried to get his head round the last thirty minutes. Cordelia glowing, her reading of him and the soothing of his troubled soul and then for the grand finale the revelations on why he couldn’t go to Lorne and call in the cavalry.
Goddamn you, Lilah!
He raised his head and looked at the three girls on the opposite bed with new respect and admiration
“And you’ve been running ever since?”
Cordelia looked offended and said snootily
“Not running, more…….exploring our options.”
Lindsey grinned at her tone and then, after a few seconds, was rewarded with a reluctant smile from the Seer
“I see. Well, where do I start?”
“What do you mean?”
Lindsey stood and brushed down his pants and then stretched his tired muscles
“If you think I’ve chased across the country, dumped my job, gotten tied up, interrogated and then driven for two hours in the trunk of my own car to end up in a motel I wouldn’t stable a horse in just to throw in the towel and let Lilah win you’ve got another think coming.”
Willow looked confused
“What are you saying?”
Lindsey shook his head and screwed up his face in mock-horror
“Against my better judgement I want to help and……”
He looked pained and swallowed before saying through gritted teeth
“I want to help save Angel.”
Cordelia snorted
“No you don’t.”
Lindsey grinned as Willow and Fred giggled into their hands and shrugged
“Ok, I don’t. But I do want to help save Lorne and the rest and I really think you could use another pair of hands on your side.”
Fred looked hopefully at her two friends and then laughed with relief when they nodded and Cordelia stood to offer him her hand
“Ok, welcome to Hell. Screw up or betray us and I’ll smack your teeth so far down your throat you’ll have to stick a toothbrush up your ass to clean them.”
Lindsey grinned and took her smaller hand in his, saying dryly
“I’m looking forward to working with you too, Cordy.”
End Part 6a
Title: Beginnings
Author: Karen
Rating: PG
Pairing: C/D (obviously)
Synopsis: First meetings
Author’s note: Answering the ‘First Impressions Challenge’
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be.
Dedications: Alea and Fernando, cos it’s great to have you back. And the usual suspects Jen, Ina and Mel.
The two teenagers eyed each other and then turned back to their respective guardians
“This is a joke right?”
Buffy frowned at her sister and then glared at Spike as he muttered
“I bloody well hope so”
“Shut up Spike. Dawn be nice.”
Connor folded his arms and said mutinously
“I’m not doing it. She’s a girl.”
Angel sighed deeply
“Connor, remember when we said we were going to work on your social skills? Now would be a good time to start.”
Dawn swung back to the dark haired boy and said scathingly
“I’d rather be a girl than a Peter Pan wannabe gone bad.”
Spike sniggered as the boy frowned in confusion
“See he got your brains, peaches.”
“Shut up, Spike.”
Connor glared around him
“I’m not doing it.”
“Hello? Like this is how I was jonesing to spend my weekend?”
Buffy rolled her eyes and said in a tone that brooked no argument
“You two are going shopping and you WILL bond if it kills you. Or I will.”
Angel nodded in agreement and borrowed Willow’s resolve face
“Right. Connor you need a friend your own age and someone who knows what kids should be wearing at school. Dawn’s the obvious choice.”
“She’s a girl!”
Dawn placed her hands on her hips and said firmly
“You say that one more time and this girl is gonna kick your Davy Crockett ass all over the city.”
Connor laughed at the expression on her little freckled face
“I’d like to see you try. I’m the Destroyer.”
“Yeah? What of…..good fashion sense? And hello? Mystical energy key? I could so kick your ass if I wanted.”
They glared at each other and Spike laughed again
“Well, this is going swimmingly. What’s next Slayer? Fixing up Faith and Giles?”
Buffy and Angel hissed in unison
“Shut up, Spike!”
Buffy reached into her purse and pulled out a small billfold
“Dawn, here’s your allowance. Take Connor and help him get the stuff he needs for school. Be back by sundown for dinner.”
Angel copied her move and handed a considerably larger billfold to Connor
“Go have fun and get your stuff for school. And stay together.”
Dawn rolled her eyes and stamped towards the hotel doors
“Ok, fine, but if I see anyone I know I’m not admitting I’m with him.”
Connor followed her
“Likewise.”
“Oh please. Everyone you know in this city lives here. Like you need to hide your shame.”
She marched through the doors and let the heavy glass swing back into his face. Connor caught it and sending his father on last baleful look followed Dawn out into the sun.
End.
Title: Middles
Author: Karen
Pairing: Dawn/Connor
Rating: PG
Synopsis: sequel to ‘Beginnings’
Disclaimer: Not mine and not getting paid for it.
Dedications: Ina, Mel and Jen (but you all knew that right?) and all the peeps on the Unnatural list that keep up the encouragement and happy chat.
Middles.
Dawn eyed Connor as he stood in front of the store mirror
“And you’re thinking that the whole ‘I’m a big dweeb’ look is good for you because?”
Connor glared into the mirror and into her sceptical blue eyes
“What’s wrong with this one? It’s comfortable and practical and I can move my arms freely if I go into battle.”
Dawn wrinkled her nose
“Yeah, ‘cos that happens to me ALL the time in Math class.”
She paused for a minute and then said reluctantly
“Well, apart from that whole demon thing last semester but that was TOTALLY a one off and we had to kill it with a flame thrower anyway. No arm swingage required.”
She met Connor’s eyes in the mirror again
“Look, Buffy is gonna nail my ass to the wall if I don’t bring you back with some decent stuff and if I let you come back with something that looks like it was crapped out instead of stitched together I’m gonna get stuck on stake sharpening detail for a month.”
They both studied the dark brown sweater in the mirror again and Connor was forced to admit in the bright lights of the store it was a bit of a dubious colour. That didn’t mean he was about to give in and let the doll like sister of the Slayer have total control over his new wardrobe though
“And what do you consider decent attire? A nice light pink vest perhaps?”
Dawn placed her hands on her hips and felt her hackles rise
“Yeah, that’s it exactly. I look at you and I see the perfect vehicle for pastels and sequins.”
She marched to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder spinning him round to face her
“Look, I don’t like you and you don’t like me, that’s cool, but we’re stuck with each other for the rest of the day and I have a job to do here so what say you keep your broody-assed mouth shut and let me do it?”
Connor pushed his face close to hers and spat scathingly
“Or what? You’ll manicomb me to death?”
Dawn looked startled for a moment and then burst out laughing
“It’s manicure, you moron!”
Connor felt his face flush with red and took a step back as Dawn continued to giggle uncontrollably
“Where I come from it’s considered bad manners to laugh at another’s lack of knowledge.”
Dawn raised her eyebrows
“Yeah? Well the way I heard it you got raised in some uber hell dimension and in my experience they aren’t that big on the etiquette. What is it? Daggers at sunrise if you forget the correct way to disembowel and torture your enemy? Please.”
She adjusted the fit of her lemon baby tee and smoothed her hands over her slim denim clad hips
“Face it, you need me. Who’s gonna tell you how not to be a big freak and stand out like a vamp at a blood drive if I don’t? Angel? Lorne?”
Connor folded his arms and glared
“Cordelia or Fred can tell me anything I need to know.”
Dawn met him glare for glare
“Oh good choice. I-dwelt-in-a-cave-girl or the girl who inspired the infamous Thank-God-she’s-left-town party, which went on for three DAYS by the way, and was top of the most hated people in town poll for four years running. And that’s including two years that Spike and Angelus lived in Sunnydale and a lot of demons voted.”
Connor sagged briefly and then rallied
“Well what about Gunn and Wesley? They’re both normal, human males.”
Dawn raised an eyebrow in disbelief
“Gunn and Wesley? They’re your fall backs?”
Connor nodded uncertainly and Dawn rolled her eyes
“Gunn dropped out of school when he was fourteen and then majored in underground street warfare. Not a lot of opportunity for honing the social skills there and Wesley’s ENGLISH. What does he know about going to high school and girls? Big nada. You SO need me.”
Connor’s eyes darted around the store frantically searching for inspiration and then her next words knocked him cold
“Or do you want to spent the next two years of your life a social outcast and hanging out with your Dad? ‘Cos if that is what you want, say the word and we’ll go back now and you can get busy bonding and I can start on the whole stake detail I mentioned earlier.”
She grinned in triumph as his shoulders slumped and he said resignedly
“What do you want me to do?”
End.
Title: ….And Endings?
Author: Karen
Synopsis: answer to a challenge to describe Dawn and Connor’s first meeting and sequel to ‘Middles’.
Disclaimer: Someday they’ll all be mine, mwahaha…….but not today
Rating: PG
Dedications: To all the ‘Brats and my own little Troika: Mel, Ina and Jen.
Author’s note: Despite emphatic words and gestures on my part this little series has proved popular and apparently is going to continue:: eyes Mel piercingly:: but will still continue to be FICLETS ::yells at top of voice in the hope the muses and everyone else will listen:: and therefore short and sweet and posted intermittently. Thank you for your attention.
…….And Endings?
Connor eyed the mound of shiny bags heaped around his feet and then looked up and met Dawn’s eyes over the Big Gulp they were sharing in the mall’s Food Hall
“And you’re absolutely sure I need all this stuff?”
Dawn nodded and beamed lovingly down at the results of Angel’s five hundred dollars shopping money
“Oh yeah, you totally need this.”
She reached across the table and smoothed down the lapel of the brand new black leather jacket he wore (come on, he’s Angel’s son, of course he had to get one)
“You look great and no longer resemble a big spaz. What’s not to love?”
Connor cleared his throat and adjusted the sleeves experimentally
“It’s all stiff.”
“Well, duh! Stonkin’ new leather, of course it’s stiff.”
She grinned as he flexed his shoulders and grimaced
“Chill out, a couple of nights swingin’ your big axe and it’ll be as bendy as Xander assures me Cordelia used to be.”
Connor opened his mouth and then shut it, not entirely sure if his de facto mother had just been insulted or not. Bendy was always good, right?
Dawn sucked on the straw again and allowed her eyes to drift around the packed mall. Almost against her will she had found herself enjoying Connor’s company that afternoon and was now feeling just the tiniest bit guilty about her earlier behaviour. She sighed and made up her mind
“Look, about earlier, I was kinda a big brat and I want to say I’m sorry.”
Connor looked up from studying his new watch, which apparently kept working under water and was unsmashable
Wonder if it can hold up to demon blood and vampire attacks?
“Pardon?”
The teenaged girl narrowed her eyes and said through gritted teeth
“I said, I’m sorry about earlier.”
Connor blinked and looked confused and then flushed the most delightful rose pink
“Oh. Thank you. And I’m sorry too. About calling you a girl and stuff, I mean.”
He frowned and ran the last sentence back in his mind
“Well, not about calling you a girl, ‘cos you know, you are…..”
Dawn choked on her mouthful of coke and spluttered
“It’s ok, I know what you meant.”
She wiped some errant liquid off her chin and gave him a wide smile
“It’s just I’ve been wanting to go with Buffy and Spike and do some real slayage for SO long and then when they dragged me up here to help Angel I thought, y’know, this was it and then I get saddled with you and shopping for god’s sake.”
She placed her chin onto her cupped hand and blew her new bangs out of her eyes
“No offence but you were sorta a disappointment.”
Connor grinned at her wistful tone
“None taken. Believe me, this was the last thing I wanted to do this weekend.”
He copied her gesture and leaned onto his own cupped hand and said mournfully
“School’s bad enough but shopping too? Ugh.”
Dawn smiled
“Not looking forward to the whole learning experience then?”
Connor frowned into the distance and said thoughtfully
“Well, it’s not the learning I have a problem with. I mean, back home, my father taught me my letters and numbers and how to hunt and plan attacks and stuff and it was ok. Not fun exactly, but ok, and now I live here with my dad and I have to go out everyday and be with children who would probably expire on the spot if they ever saw a demon and I don’t think it’s even going to be kind of ok.”
Dawn stared at him for a moment and then said sympathetically
“Scared, huh?”
Connor sat bolt upright in his chair and looked horrified
“NO! I don’t get scared.”
Dawn rolled her eyes
“Oh I forgot, you’re all big with the macho and bruteyness. Any idiot can see you’re scared of meeting new people. Stop being such a twit.”
“A what?”
She leaned back in her chair and grinned at him infuriatingly
“A twit, it’s something Giles always says when Xander says something stupid. Look, everyone gets shy once in a while, you just have to put a big smile on your face and grit your teeth and work through it.”
“I am NOT shy.”
She cocked her head to the side
“Sure you are.”
She rolled her eyes and said
“And I totally get it. I’m you, ok? I’ve lived in a hell dimension all my life with only a big whacko and some demons for company….”
“Hey!”
Dawn snorted and waved her hand to silence him
“He was SO a whacko. Anyway, all of a sudden I find myself in one of the hippest cities on earth and living with my dad, who’s a big uber-broody vampire, and a bunch of demon hunters who think the words ‘kick back and relax’ were invented to describe a night of full on slayage”
She flicked back her hair and said triumphantly
“Of course you’re scared. Not exactly Joe Normal are ya?”
Connor looked like he wanted to protest and then sagged muttering
“What would you know? You fit in this world.”
Dawn giggled and looked him square in the eye as he scowled at her
“Oh yeah, that’s me, Everyday Barbie. Listen up, my sister’s the chosen one in love with a vampire who just recently got a soul. Neither of them want to fess up yet so I’m living in a house filled with much creeping around and denial as they bang each other senseless every night. Her best friend is a recovering magic addict, her best friend is trying to get back together with his 1,000 yr old vengeance demon girlfriend after dumping her at the altar and I’m a three thousand year old ball of energy that got shaped into a human to prevent a crazed hell-god breaking down the walls between dimensions and ending the world.”
She took a deep breath as her face turned purple through lack of oxygen and continued
“On top of all this my fake Dad is off banging his secretary in Europe somewhere and probably couldn’t pick me out of a line-up with the aid of a big flashy sign and a pointy stick and my fake Mom died two years ago and left me to be raised by the above mentioned freaks and geeks.”
She took another swig of her cola and swallowed saying coolly
“So don’t tell me I don’t know what it’s like not to fit in.”
Connor realised his mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap. Dawn watched him try and assimilate the new information and grinned smugly
“I believe I win the ‘I’m-a-big-freak-award’ this time.”
Connor shook his head
“How can you be so proud of that?”
“I’m not proud of it but I’m not ashamed or worried by it either. It’s who I am.”
Her chin came up with pride and she said more heatedly
“And it’s who you are. So you’re different, big whoop. Everybody’s different. We just happen to be lucky enough to be interesting different.”
She gestured at the people milling around them and leaned in to say in a low serious voice
“They have no idea how the world really works, no idea of how often their lives can be turned inside out without us there to stop it. We’re the lucky ones, we know.”
Connor followed her gaze and stared around him. So many lives and not one of them knew what he knew and saw what he saw. For the first time since he had seen his real Dad he felt the churning in his stomach ease a little and his heart felt some kind of peace. He looked back into Dawn’s eyes
“I never thought of it like that.”
The girl shrugged and bent to collect the shopping bags from the floor and rose to leave
“No one we know ever does.”
She watched as he grabbed the rest and then stood to follow her
“Look, I’m not saying I don’t have my own life, but when you start school and if you need someone to talk to that isn’t all about whatever demon has a bug up it’s scabby butt this week you can call me.”
Connor gave her a wide smile
“Really?”
Dawn nodded and led the way to the exit
“Absolutely, but don’t make a habit of it. I have my own unnatural existence to worry about as well you know.”
Connor laughed and said mischievously
“How are you on football?”
Dawn grinned
“Don’t push it.”
End.
Title: You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This (1/1)
Author: Karen
Pairing: Angel/Cordelia, some refs to B/S, A/X, C/D
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. All characters that do not appear in the shows or in the comics and novels are mine the rest belong to the almighty Mr Whedon. The story’s mine too!
Synopsis: Happy endings. All together now…..Aaahh!
Rating: R, to be safe
Spoilers: Set Xmas Season Seven, so some.
Feedback: Yes, please. (See above!)
Dedication: Mel, it had to be done! Jen, I swear the other fics are on their way. Forgive me!!!! Ina, as always, the most enthusiastic reviewer ever! Hope you like it.
Angel leaned against the wall and folded his arms trying not to look as glowery as he felt. The ballroom of the hotel was crowded with demons of every species for the opening night of Lorne’s new club and so far he’d counted at least three demons that he should have been beating the crap out of on general principles and another twelve that he knew for sure should be put down without further delay. He allowed his eyelids to lower further and watched impassively as Willow and Xander swept by on the dance floor, grooving enthusiastically away to ‘I’ve Got You Babe’.
The little redhead squealed in delight as Xander swept her off her feet and spun around, crooning happily in her ear, and then without missing a beat stretched out an arm and snagged Anya as she stood by a table watching them moving off with both girls clinging to him shrieking with laughter. The original vampire with soul checked his watch. At least three minutes since he last allowed himself a surreptitious glance, he could sneak a peek now and no one would know. He straightened slowly and casually craned his neck over the sea of bodies until he could see the bar. For a moment he panicked and then, as the crowd parted slightly, he saw her.
Radiant in an emerald green dress, her head thrown back as she laughed at a comment of Wesley’s she quieted the room until all he could see or hear was her. Her hand rose to tuck a strand of newly dark hair back behind her ear and her eyes and teeth glinted in the lights of the room as she leaned forward to listen as Wesley spoke again. Angel swallowed as her breasts brushed against the Watcher’s arm and he felt a tide of jealous rage sweep over him at the casual way the younger man slipped an arm around her waist
Mine!
He took two steps forward and then stopped as a strong hand slapped against his chest
“Easy, Peaches. Down boy.”
Angel snarled and his eyes flashed gold as he looked down and into the eyes of his childe
“Don’t want to make the Cheerleader think you’re a bigger tosser than you look, do you?”
Angel snarled again
“Get out of my way.”
Spike rolled amused blue eyes
“Sorry mate. Under orders.”
He risked a quick glimpse over his shoulder and allowed a small, relieved smile to cross his face as Buffy moved to Cordelia’s side and whispered in the taller girl’s ear. The Seer grinned and nodded enthusiastically and then moved out onto the dance floor as the reunited Scoobies formed a line and began to move and laugh as ‘The Timewarp’ was pounded out of the speakers. Buffy caught Spike’s eye and grinned in triumph as she raised her arms above her head and the recently ensouled vamp returned her smug grin with a loving one of his own before turning back to Angel
“Nearly made an arse of yourself there, sire. You want to be more careful.”
Angel glared down at him for another few seconds and then abruptly sagged and leaned back against the wall
“Get lost, Spike. Leave me alone.”
The white blonde vampire reached into the pocket of his ever-present duster and took out a packet of smokes. He shook one out of the packet and then offered the box to Angel, the older vampire ignored him and Spike shrugged and replaced the cigarettes in his pocket. He lit the one hanging from his mouth, throwing his cheekbones into stark relief as the flame from the lighter played over his skin, and leaned back against the wall beside Angel casually
“I’d love to leave you alone, Peaches. Believe me, all I want at this moment is to be out there getting rat arsed and then taking the Slayer upstairs for a right good seeing to.”
He grinned as Angel growled deeply and carried blithely on
“But the fact of the matter is my Slayer’s told me to get my cute, well-muscled behind over here, her words not mine, and persuade you to stop acting like a complete twat and ask the Seer to dance.”
Angel folded his arms over his chest once more and allowed his gaze to drift over to Cordelia…….and then felt his mouth go dry as she did the pelvic thrust with a lot more enthusiasm then he felt was strictly necessary. Spike followed his gaze and grinned in appreciation at the girls whooping and laughing on the floor. Especially Buffy. Christ, that girl could writhe like a snake when she wanted to!
He cleared his throat and subtly adjusted the fit of his jeans and decided to keep his eyes firmly away from the small blonde until he had the time and opportunity to take care of her like she deserved. He cleared his throat and tried to remember what he was doing. Oh right, trying to get Peaches laid.
“She’s looking right good tonight. Very……tasteable.”
Angel’s head whipped around
“Stay the hell away from her.”
Spike held up his hands
“Don’t look at me mate, I’ve got my own nummy treat to be getting on with. Slayer’s more than enough for anyone to be getting’ on with.”
He grinned to himself as Angel’s gaze was drawn inexorably back to Cordelia and took another drag on his cigarette
“Just sayin’ you might want to take advantage of what’s on offer, like. You know, before you lose your mind completely.”
Angel shook his head and said shortly
“It’s not like that. We’re friends.”
The words were barely out of his mouth when he straightened with another vicious snarl as a tall, good-looking human grabbed Cordelia from behind and rubbed himself against her ass. Spike threw his fag butt to the floor and hurriedly stepped in front of the taller vamp
“Easy tiger!”
One the dance floor Cordelia twisted in her captor’s embrace and delivered a short, sharp speech to his face. Spike winced as Angel snarled again and made to push by him and then sighed with relief as the tall, black guy, Guy, Goon, whatever, appeared out of nowhere and twisted the man’s arm up behind his back.
He bent his gleaming, hairless head and muttered something in the guy’s ear and then with a quick shove pushed him off the dance floor and into the crowd by the bar. Cordelia smoothed her dress over her hips and smiled up at him as he bent his head again to whisper something in her ear. She laughed and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and then twirled away with Willow and Buffy as ‘Independent Women’ began to pound.
“There you go mate. All sorted.”
Angel narrowed his eyes at Gunn as the man rubbed at his cheek where Cordelia’s lips had touched and then relaxed as the other man found Fred and pulled her into his arms making her squeal with laughter as he nuzzled her neck. The dark haired vampire threw himself back against the wall and resumed the scowl fest. Spike rolled his eyes again and opened his mouth but before he could speak his eyes lit on Dawn as she did the bump and grind with a tallish, Latino vamp
“’Scuse me a minute mate.”
Angel watched as the younger vampire stormed out onto the dance floor and then with a few economic words and a flash of his fangs ejected Dawn’s erstwhile suitor and marched back to Angel dragging the protesting girl behind him
“Spiiike! Get off me.”
Spike swung the girl round by her wrist and then in one smooth movement dumped her in a chair
“What did I tell you about dancin’ with demons?”
Dawn looked unfazed by the enraged vampire snarling two inches away from her nose and pouted, looking bored
“They have two left feet and watch them on the downbeat?”
Spike growled menacingly and Dawn crossed her long, coltish legs looking supremely unimpressed
“I said, don’t go near anyone you don’t know! For fucks sake Nibblet, they’ll have you for breakfast, lunch and tea.”
Dawn rolled her eyes and inspected her nails in a move calculated to piss her guardian right off
“Spike, there’s, like, a little thing called a sanctuary spell. He couldn’t hurt me if he wanted too. And even if he did I have my stake, look!”
She reached into the midnight blue purse on her lap and withdrew the wooden stake she carried at all times nearly putting Spike’s eye out. His head snapped back and he glared into her much too innocent eyes
“Nibblet……”
The exasperated tone was too much for Angel who gave a gruff laugh despite himself. Spike’s head snapped round and he transferred his glare from the teenaged girl to his nemesis cum sire cum (groan) friend
“You think it’s funny?”
Angel caught Dawn’s eye and returned the unrepentant grin she gave him
“What William The Bloody does ‘Uncle Jesse’?”
He waited a beat
“Hell, yes!”
Spike’s eyes flashed and turned back to Dawn to quickly for her to wipe the wide grin off her face
“Ok, that’s it. You can bleedin’ well stay there until its time to go.”
Dawn’s mouth fell open in outrage and her impossibly large eyes grew even wider
“What?! You can’t do that! I’m telling Buffy.”
She made to get to her feet and squeaked in surprise as Spike placed a hand on top of her head and unceremoniously shoved her back on her butt
“I said stay. You take one step away from that chair ‘Bit and I’ll personally chain you up in the basement for a week when we get home.”
Dawn met his eyes and then flounced round in her seat until she faced away from him, her back rigid with outrage
“I HATE you!”
Spike nodded agreeably
“I expect you do, pet.”
He moved back beside Angel and leaned against the wall keeping a wary eye on the young girl in case she decided to make a break for it
“Kids.”
Angel manfully struggled to keep a straight face at Spike’s resigned tone
“That was a bit harsh wasn’t it? She was just dancing.”
“With a VAMPIRE! Why am I the only person here to see that’s wrong?”
He turned and glared at the dark haired boy that loitered a few feet away his gaze flicking nervously between the two vampires and the sullen girl on the chair
“What’s your problem? Piss off.”
Angel turned his head and met the eyes of his son
“Spike, don’t talk to him like that. Hi, Connor.”
The Destroyer nodded at his father and his childe
“Hey, Dad.”
His eyes flicked to Dawn again and Spike snarled
“Don’t even think about it, Junior.”
Connor looked startled and said with wide eyes
“What? I wasn’t thinking anything.”
Spike narrowed his eyes at him
“Yeah, right.”
Connor scowled back at him
“It’s none of your business anyway, you aren’t her father.”
It was Angel’s turn to slap a hand to Spike’s chest as the smaller vampire lunged at his son
“Spike, enough! Connor, apologise.”
The teenager looked mutinous for a moment and then mumbled
“Sorry.”
Spike held him with a level blue stare for another few moments and then nodded shortly
“Right.”
Angel watched his son out of the corner of his eye as he tried to imitate the two demons in casual leaniness but all the while flicking intense looks at Dawn. Finally the dark haired man could take it no more, he nudged Spike
“Let Connor ask her to dance. He’ll look after her and keep her out of trouble.”
“What?! Not bloody likely, mate. I don’t want your offspring’s grubby little paws over my girl.”
Angel sighed irritably
“He’s a very responsible young man, he won’t hurt her.”
Spike folded his arms and said firmly
“No.”
Angel looked from the impassive vampire to the teenaged girl on the chair before him
“She’ll probably calm down if you let her go and dance with Connor. She might even speak to you again this side of New Year.”
Spike snorted unimpressed but Angel was pleased to note his eyes flickered nervously over to Dawn as she sat with her arms folded studiously ignoring him. Angel waited for a few seconds and then Spike caved
“Fine, but if his hands slip one inch up or down from her waist I’ll rip his arms off and beat him unconscious with ‘em.”
Angel grinned and motioned his son over
“Connor, go ask Dawn to dance.”
Connor’s eyes darted from Dawn to Spike and then back again
“What?”
“Go ask Dawn to dance.”
Connor met Spike’s eyes who glared at him angrily
“Go on then. Mind your step though, kid, I’ll be watchin’ you.”
Connor’s eyes narrowed and then he looked back at Dawn
“She won’t want to.”
Angel patted him paternally on the shoulder
“Of course she will. Good-looking and funny guy like you? She’ll jump at the chance.”
Spike made gagging noises at the brief pep talk and then said firmly
“As long as that’s the only jumpin’ that goes on then nobody needs to get hurt.”
Angel ignored him to push his son encouragingly in Dawn’s direction
“Go on then.”
Connor dug in his heels and looked panicked
“I can’t!”
“Don’t be stupid. Just ask her to dance.”
Angel looked down in surprise at the hand that gripped his forearm like a lifeline and then up at his son’s face as the boy hissed frantically
“I can’t dance!”
Angel ceased pushing the boy
“Oh. Well. There’s nothing to it. You just put one hand on her waist, let her put one on your shoulder and then grab her other hand in yours and push her round the floor.”
Connor did not look reassured
“He’s tryin’ to dance with her, you pillock, not vacuum with her.”
Angel scowled at Spike’s scathing comment but before he could reply he caught a familiar scent. He turned and looked down into Cordelia’s smiling eyes
“Hey, guys. What’s going on?”
She smiled at all of them and Angel took the opportunity to inhale the soft smelling fragrance that surrounded her. Cinnamon and peaches. His senses swam and he swayed towards her, realising belatedly that Buffy stood at her side. The Slayer moved around him giving him an amused look and slipped an arm around Spike’s waist
“Hi Angel.”
She nestled into Spike’s firm embrace and stifled a snigger at her former love’s guilty look at being caught smelling his seer. All too familiar with a vampire caught in the throes of lust she smiled widely
“What’s the what?”
Spike pulled her closer and said in a gravely voice
“Peaches was just explaining to the kid how you make a complete arse of yourself on the dance floor.”
Buffy giggled
“What?”
Angel shot Spike a glare
“Connor asked me how to dance and I was just explaining it to him.”
Cordelia frowned and looked puzzled
“What? Connor, I told you how……”
The teenager exchanged a look with Spike and said hurriedly
“I want to ask someone to dance and I wasn’t sure of the moves. I’m still not.”
He gave his father a disappointed look and then stared down at the floor. Buffy smiled at him
“Well, of course not. It’s no good telling someone how to do it, you need to show them. Angel, Cordelia why don’t you give him a demonstration?”
The duo stared at the Slayer with identical expressions of panic
“What? No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Buffy, I can’t slow dance you know that.”
The blonde waved a hand impatiently through the air
“Crap. Get out there and strut your funky stuff.”
She rolled her eyes as a tense silence stretched
“Well, go on. No one’s getting any younger.”
Angel turned reluctantly to Cordelia and held out his hand. She sent Buffy a menacing glare, which the Slayer completely ignored, and placed her hand in his much larger one. They turned and made their way stiffly to the dance floor and then awkwardly assumed an old-fashioned waltz position. Spike laughed as Angel began to manoeuvre Cordy stiffly through the crowds and then turned as he felt a light tap on his arm
“Cough up.”
Dawn stood before him with an outstretched palm with Connor hovering expectantly over her shoulder
“Twenty bucks.”
Buffy grinned as her lover dug into his pocket and came out with a handful of crumpled bills. Dawn’s hand moved like lightening and snatched the lot
“That’ll do nicely sir.”
“Hey!”
The two teenagers grinned at each other and Connor said smugly
“Think of it as a down payment on keeping our mouths shut that you paid us to help set them up.”
He slung a confident arm around his new girlfriend’s shoulder as she stuffed the bills in her bag without bothering to count them. The teenagers exchanged a smug kiss and then wandered off to find Clem and the nearest game of kitten poker.
“Ah, honey. Did they stiff ya?”
Buffy looped her arms around her man’s neck and brushed her lips softly over his. Spike pulled her against him and then turned so she lay across his arms in a classic ‘swoon’ position. He kissed her thoroughly and then brought her upright, gasping with surprise
“Joke’s on them. There’s only dollar bills there, they got about nine bucks.”
Buffy laughed at the satisfied look on his face
“You are evil.”
He grinned as he pulled her against him and stalked off to the bar
“I know.”
On the dance floor Angel was urgently trying to think of anything other than the warm body he held before him. He was taking great care not to let them brush together but somehow he was still fighting not to give in to his baser instincts and just take her in the middle of the crowded club. It wasn’t helping that Cordy, who normally you couldn’t shut up with a tranq gun, was following his every move silently and with her head bowed submissively to the floor. His demon rattled at his cage at the sight of the love of Angel’s life practically turning into a Geisha girl before him and clawed savagely to get out.
Angel sucked in a breath as her head came up and she peered back to where they’d left the others
“Where’d everybody go?”
He turned his own head and wasn’t completely surprised to see no sign of Spike or his son. He used his several inches in height on Cordelia and raked the interior of the club until he located Buffy and Spike by the bar. They grinned at him and raised their drinks in a silent toast as they chatted with the Scoobs and Angel’s gang and the vampire found himself grinning back at them.
Cordelia stepped back a pace
“Well, the lesson’s over. I’m going to get a drink.”
Angel’s eyes narrowed as she turned away and then the slow bars of a song came through the speakers. He saw Connor and Dawn giving him a thumbs up from the DJ stand and he reached out pulled her back into his arms until she was flush up against his body
“Just one more.”
Cordelia opened her mouth and leaned back and then squeaked as he laid his index finger over her mouth
“Dance with me.”
He took her hand in his and pressed it against his chest and then with his other held her at the small of her back so she stayed firmly against him
I’ve got a funny feeling
The moment that your lips touched mine
Something shot right through me
My heart skipped a beat in time
Angel began to move in a slow circle and pulled Cordelia insistently with him. The seer moved stiffly at first and then slowly began in soften against him
There’s a different feel about you tonight
It’s got me thinking lots of crazy things
I even think I saw a flash of light
It felt like electricity
Angel closed his eyes and laid his head on top of Cordelia’s shiny cap of hair as her fingers clenched his shirt front when his hand began stroke lazy circles on her bare back
You shouldn’t kiss me like this
Unless you mean it like that
Cause I’ll just close my eyes
And I won’t know where I’m at
We’ll get lost on this dance floor spinnin’ around
And around
And around
And around
Cordelia felt her head begin to spin as she was buffeted by the slow, romantic music and the feeling of Angel’s hand caressing her naked skin. Her eyes opened and she caught a glimpse of her friends as Angel spun her confidently through the people around them
They’re all watching us now
They think we’re falling in love
They’ll never believe we’re just friends
She closed her eyes again and gave herself over to long yearned for sensations of Angel finally holding her. It had been so long since they’d allowed themselves to touch and be easy with each other. She turned her head and burrowed closer in his embrace
When you kiss me like this
I think you mean it like that
If you do maybe kiss me again
Angel gathered his courage. Of all the things he’d ever done these next seconds were the hardest. Ever since Cordelia had come back from the other dimension the PTB had sent her to and he had been freed from his watery tomb he had dreamt of this. Holding her, touching her, loving her. Now it was too much. He didn’t care he had no redemption, he didn’t care he had no right to touch a higher being, all he cared about was the fact he held his eternal love in his arms. He slipped his hand up from where it held hers on his chest and slowly tilted her chin up so he looked directly into her eyes
Everybody swears we make the perfect pair
But dancing is as far as it goes
Girl you’ve never moved me
Quite the way you’ve moved me tonight
Cordelia stared in Angel’s dark unreadable eyes and watched, breathless, as he lowered his head and glided his lips over hers. Her eyes widened and Angel smiled as he saw the stunned look in them. He bent his head again and this time took her lips in a firm kiss that stole the last of her breath
I just wanted you to know
I just wanted you to know
He continued to spin them around the floor in tight, certain circles making sure to keep her off balance as he kissed the living daylights out of her. Finally he pulled back to allow her to drag in a desperate lungful of air and gave a smug, male smile as he listened to her heart race and small gasps that burst from her mouth
You shouldn’t kiss me like this
Unless you mean it like that
Cause I’ll just close my eyes
And I won’t know where I’m at
We’ll get lost on this dance floor spinnin’ around
And around
And around
And around
Cordelia watched his mouth curve as he smiled down at her and frantically tried to rally her thoughts. He’d kissed her. Kissed her like there was no tomorrow and she was the only girl on the face of the planet. Her eyes darted to the bar and she met Buffy’s eyes for a split second. The blonde smiled and waved and then raised her hand to her mouth and blew a kiss across the floor.
They’re all watching us now
They think we’re falling in love
They’d never believe we’re just friends
When you kiss me like this
I think you mean it like that
Cordelia swung her eyes back up to Angel’s face and blinked as he acknowledged the Slayer’s blessing and then looked back down at her. She gasped as he settled her more firmly against him and slipped his hand under the material of her dress to stroke the skin at the bottom of her back. He brushed his mouth over hers again and swallowed her small exclamation and then pulled back slightly to wait for her next move
If you do baby kiss me again
Kiss me again
Cordelia’s mouth lifted at the corners and she bestowed a sultry smile on her dance partner as she raised her hands and tangled them in his hair. Angel obligingly slipped both arms around her waist and lifted her until their faces were level. Cordy smiled once more and then moved in to plant the best kiss of Angel’s long life on him.
Over by the bar the crowd went wild. Lorne clapped a grinning Wesley on the shoulder
“Finally! Now, if we can just get you and the little red head to admit how you feel about each other we’ll have a full set.”
Wesley blushed a brighter red than the demon’s horns and spluttered
“What? I assure you….I…I…have nothing but the utmost respect for Willow and……”
Lorne laughed
“Ok sweetie, save it for someone you actually stand a chance of lying too. Empathic remember?”
He moved behind the bar
“Drinks on the house.”
Wesley straightened his collar and turned around to grab a calming drink and ran into Spike. The vampire grinned and let his eyes roam pointedly to Willow and then back again. Wesley blanched as the blonde gave a wide grin and sauntered off to Buffy’s side. The ex-watcher cast a quick glance at Willow and then at the oblivious couple still entwined on the dance floor. He started towards Spike and then took another look at his best friends lost in one another’s embrace and checked his stride. He paused for a moment and then returned to his original plan of getting another drink. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to see what the demon had up his sleeve.
End.
Song : You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This
Artist : Toby Keith
Album: How Do You Like Me Now?