| Title: Queen of the Night Author: Starlett Chapter 5 "Sunnydale? Why Sunnydale?" Cordelia asked. She'd just gotten out of bed and was standing on her toes, pulling a coffee mug out of the cabinet. The blinds were closed, blocking out the creeping sunlight, and allowing Angel to sit in the kitchen with her while they waited for the coffee to brew. The long-sleeved t-shirt she had slept in crept off one shoulder, exposing her collarbone; the plaid boxers were several sizes too big, and hitched up at the waist. She was barefoot, and despite the chill, Angel hadn't been able to talk her into wearing any socks. "Because Willow...." Cordy turned. "Willow? Why Willow?" She sat down at the kitchen table, crossing her legs, the mug still clenched in her hand. "What have you guys been up to?" she asked suspiciously. "Maybe we should wait for Wes," Angel said, trying to ignore the way her bare foot brushed his leg with every swing. "Maybe you should just tell me now," she said, irritation creeping into her voice. Wes and Gunn had gone to get take-out from the diner down the street, and everyone else was meeting them at Cordy's in half an hour for breakfast. He'd really hoped to wait for Wes, but then Cordy had mentioned a client meeting which was scheduled for Monday morning, and he knew he had to tell her what was going on. "Okay, here's the deal," he said quietly, folding his hands on the table. "I was worried about you, and I didn't know what else to do, so don't get mad at me." Her eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. "You think that pathetic opening is gonna keep me from getting mad?" "It was worth a try," he said. "Look." He leaned forward, edging into her space. "We got the test results back from the lab yesterday. They didn't turn up anything out of the ordinary." "And you didn't tell me this because...." "Because you were hurting, Cordy." "I still have a monster headache," she said warningly. "And you're only making it worse by keeping stuff from me." "Okay, fine. Because we wanted a chance to figure out what to do first." She snorted. "Typical." "Cordy," he said menacingly. The coffee maker stopped hissing and she stepped around him to pour her first cup of the day. "If you wanted nice, you should have waited until after I had my coffee." She slapped a full mug down in front of him and sat, pulling her knees up and taking a sip. "So, go on, you big, undead meddler," she said grouchily. "Tell me what you have planned for me, 'cause, God knows, the little woman can't figure it out for herself." Angel took a deep breath, his patience obviously nearing its limit. "The plan was to do whatever it took to keep you alive," he said. Cordy looked at him sharply. "I was going to talk to Lorne, see if his connection to the Powers could help us. Wes was going to call Giles." "Giles?" she huffed. She took another sip of her coffee and blinked, as if the room was finally coming into focus. "Yeah. He's got the books and the knowledge. But, unfortunately, he's not there." "Where is he?" "England. He decided Buffy didn't need him anymore." "That's not like Giles. He'd do anything for Buffy," Cordy said. Angel nodded. "I know. The point is, Wesley left a message at the shop, which got passed on to Buffy, which eventually made it to Willow. Willow contacted someone she knew, who recommended Mr. Zhou." "Clear as mud," Cordy replied. She set her cup on her raised knees and rested her forehead against its warmth. "You okay?" Angel asked, running his finger quickly across the back of her hand. She looked up at him. "It's just.... Last time you helped me, it unleashed the wonder that was Billy onto the world. I don't want anyone to get hurt for me ever again." Angel took the mug away from her and set it on the table, then linked his fingers with hers. "I don't think that will happen this time, Cordy. This all seems very straightforward." Cordy sighed, the last of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Okay," she said quietly. "Anything's gotta be better than tripping over the light fantastic." Angel gave a relieved smile and squeezed her hand gently. Gunn and Wes burst through the door, arms full of bags. "Yo, you two gonna stop with the make-out session and get some grub?" Gunn demanded. Cordy snorted. "Make out session? With *Angel*?" She pushed herself up and went to the cabinet for more mugs. "Hey," Angel huffed, his eyes following her every move. "What's that supposed to mean?" Title: Queen of the Night Author: Starlett Chapter 6 Coming back always gave Cordy a touch of the wiggins. It was just too weird, seeing the familiar neighborhoods and shops and knowing that she didn't fit in there anymore. Not that she ever really felt like she did, all appearances to the contrary. As they passed their old haunts, Wes and Angel grew quiet, too, and by the time they pulled into the Summers's driveway, only the wind and the chime of the radio kept them company. "Why are we coming here?" Cordy asked. Angel vaulted over the door and went to the trunk to get their overnight bags. "It's cheaper than a hotel," Wes said. "Oh," Cordy replied, exiting the car in a more conventional fashion. "This is one of those times I think we could have managed $19.95 for a Motel 6," she grumbled. She met Angel and Wes at the trunk. They stood silently for a moment looking at the Slayer's house, each lost in their own memories. Angel sighed and it startled Cordy into action. "So," she said, running her hands up and down her arms. "Let's go on in." Wes shouldered Cordy's bag and hefted his own, leaving Angel to bring his small pack. As they walked up the sidewalk the door opened. And there stood Buffy. Cordy stopped dead in her tracks, causing Wes and Angel to run right into her. "Oh, God," she breathed. Behind her she heard a couple of muttered curses and felt a hand, probably Angel's, clamp her arm. "It's weird, isn't it?" he asked, his fingers clenching her flesh, then dropping away as if he realized what he was doing. "Yeah. Last time I saw her, she was...." "In her casket," Wes murmured. "Are you guys gonna come in?" Buffy asked. "Or are you just gonna stand around talking about the dead girl all night?" Cordy laughed, then dashed up the porch steps. "Hey." She hit Buffy on the shoulder. "You look pretty good for a dead girl." Buffy snorted. "Thanks. I think." Then her gaze shifted, and landed on Angel. "Hi," she said. She stuck her hands in the pockets of her black leather pants. Cordy cleared her throat. "Well, I'll just go on inside now and leave you two alone. Wes? Wanna join me?" "Sure," he said. He nodded to Buffy, then stepped inside and dropped the bags on the landing. "Fine. Great, whatever," Buffy said, her attention obviously not on them. Cordy glanced over her shoulder as they walked into the kitchen. "Think it's safe to leave them alone?" "I think Angel can handle himself." "Cordy!" Willow cried. "You're here!" She pulled Cordy into an enthusiastic hug. "Yeah," she said, patting Willow's shoulder awkwardly. "You okay?" She pulled back and looked into Willow's eyes. What she saw there unnerved her. They were empty, sad--nearly barren. But more than that, they were shadowed with a dark kind of power Cordy had rarely seen. "Just happy to see you," Willow said desperately. Wes stepped forward and put his left hand on Cordy's shoulder, obviously sensing her discomfort. "Hello," he said, sticking out his other hand. Willow took it, and Wes's easy gesture seemed to ground her. "Hi, Wes. I'm glad you could make it," she said. Her face relaxed, the line between her eyebrows disappearing. "I've got a bed made for you on the couch. Cordy, you're going to sleep in Dawn's room." "Where's Dawn sleeping?" Cordy asked. Willow's face clouded. "With Buffy." "How is Dawn, anyway?" Wes asked cordially. But he kept his hand on Cordy's shoulder. She looked up at him, and could see, behind his glasses, that his eyes looked wary. Between the Angel-n-Buffy drama going on out front and whatever was happening with Willow, the night was shaping up to be pretty uncomfortable so far. Sheesh, this was exactly the kind of thing that happened when you let the men handle the logistics. Willow started pulling mugs out of the cabinet. "Oh, she's fine," she said brightly. "Anyone want tea? I've got herbal. Good for sleeping." She turned, the mugs clutched to her chest. "No magic, just tea, I promise." Cordy thought she saw her eyes darken, and she shivered. "Tea would be great," she said. "Wes, why don't you help Willow, while I go check on...things...at the hotel?" She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and ducked out the back door before Wes could respond. She sat on the steps and took a deep breath. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. They could have driven down in the morning, even if it did mean getting up before she usually went to bed. Too late now, though, she thought pragmatically. She'd just have to make the best of it. The cell phone was cool in her hand, and it reminded her that she had other connections to tend to. Fred picked up on the second ring. "Hey, it's Cordy!" she said to someone in the background. "How are ya? We're all fine. Connor's sleeping like a baby." She giggled. "Well, of course, he is a baby. How was your trip? Did ya have a good time?" Cordy smiled. "The trip was fine. We're all here, safe and sound." A tree branch snapped in the woods and Cordy got quickly to her feet. "Yeah, safe and sound." She took a step toward the door. "So, Connor's fine? He took his bottle?" "Oh, yeah. Ate like a little pig," Fred said happily. "Gunn 'n I are watchin' Pay-Per-View," she continued. "There's a fight on. Those guys can really punch! I'm learning some stuff, just by watchin'." She giggled. "Gunn says I've already got a pretty good right hook." "Where's Lorne?" Cordy asked. Suddenly she missed them so much her chest ached. "Oh, he's downstairs somewhere. I think I heard him singin' earlier." "That's nice," Cordy said as another twig snapped. A chill walked up her spine and her imagination went wild. "I just wanted to check in. We'll call you later, okay?" She started looking around for a weapon. "Sure thing. Y'all take care," Fred said. Cordy hung up and slid the phone in her pocket. "Who's there?" she asked in her sternest voice. Spike materialized from the shadows. "Evenin', cheerleader. Who's Connor?" Cordy put her hand on her chest to calm her breathing. "None of your business. What are you doing sneaking up on me, anyway?" "I'm a vampire, luv. That's what we do, is sneak." He strolled up the steps, twirled the stake in his hand. "Came out to take the Slayer for a spin." His grin was lascivious. "Think she's about?" "She's out front." Cordy waited a beat for dramatic effect. "With Angel." Spike's grin melted, leaving behind something that looked a whole lot like pain. "Oh." He put the stake in his coat pocket and sat down on the step. "Why d'you suppose she does this to me?" he asked, running his hands through his hair. "What do you mean?" Cordy asked, being careful to stand a few steps away from him. She watched as he lit a cigarette and stared off into the back yard. "Torture me like this." He whipped up and pinned Cordy to the porch rail, his game face glowing in the streetlight. "God knows, I could torture her if I had a mind," he said, sniffing Cordy's neck like a wolf. "I'm bad, maybe the baddest of them all." He let go of her shirt and sat back down, his black leather duster settling around him like a cape. He flicked an ash off the end of the cigarette. "I'm just guessing here, but maybe it's your social skills," Cordy said, collapsing next to him in a weak-kneed heap. "Scared you, din't I?" he asked, his smile back in place. "Gave you a right good old scare. Oh, don't bother denying' it, I can 'ear your 'eart beatin' from here, luv." "I'm not denying it, Spike, you scared me." Cordy kicked her feet out in front of her in an attempt to appear casual. "And you could do it again, but then, that would probably piss off Buffy." His face fell. "You've got a point." He looked so forlorn, Cordy had to stop herself from comforting him. "Spike, I told you to stay the hell away from my house!" Buffy shouted, coming through the back door at full throttle. Angel was on her heels. "Cordy! Are you all right?" He yanked Spike up by the collar, had him dangling six inches off the floor. "If you hurt her," he gritted, giving Spike a shake. Spike laughed. "Oh, so now he comes at me with the fists and the fangs. About 100 years late, ya great poof." He took a drag off his cigarette and blew smoke at Angel. Only Spike could look cool hanging by the scruff of his neck, Cordy thought. "Put him down, Angel," Buffy said quietly. "That's enough." Spike hit the porch like a cat on its seventh life. "Nice to see you too. Been awhile." His eyes darted between Angel and Buffy. "I see you two are up to your old tricks." Cordy could hear the jealousy in his voice. Vampires in love, she thought. Spare me. But her heart twisted in her chest. "God, I hope not. I've had enough of the R&J vibe to last me a lifetime." She stood and pushed Spike out of the way. "I'm going in for tea. See you all later." Angel grabbed her hand as she walked by. "Hey, you all right?" Her insides were a jumbled mess. "Just tired. Tea, then bed. See you in the morning?" He nodded and dropped her hand. Over his shoulder, Cordy saw a look pass between Spike and Buffy that could melt glass. She wondered if Angel realized that Buffy's body, if not her heart, was in another's hands. I so did not need this, she thought, walking into the brightly lit kitchen. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found it empty. A mug sat on the cabinet, with tea bags arranged next to it. She unwrapped a chamomile, dropped it in the cup, and poured hot water out of the pot. As she made her way up to Dawn's room, she heard voices in the living room. Ignoring them, she picked up her bag and shuffled into the bathroom to get ready for bed. |