| Mazzy & Prebuffy present |
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| ******Mazzy****** Xander Harris paced somewhat nervously in front of his new-fangled, growned-up responsible car as he waited for his two friends to approach. Friends? Yeah, Cordelia was a friend. True, she didn�t remember him, but maybe that was for the best considering how their �relationship� had ended. Yes that was a nice memory�his betrayal swiftly followed by her impalement. Xander really knew how to break a girl�s heart in style. I guess it was a nicer break-up than his most recent one with Anya. Yeah, he figured near-death might actually have been kinder than leaving one stranded at the wedding altar. No wonder he was so nervous. He�d have to work on some of his heartbreaking techniques. It was dark, and he could barely see in the dimly lit parking lot, but from where he stood he could hear the familiar �clacking� of designer heels on the cement. His heartbeat quickened as he saw the two females approaching. Cordelia was a total eye-suck for him. There she was in all her so-called glory. Hot body? Check! Designer outfit? Check! Short, blonde hair? Well, that was new, but of the good. Xander�s eyes traveled up and down the length of her body as the two women drew nearer. Ga gung!, he thought and felt at the same time. After all, he was still a human, still a male, and Cordy, memory loss or no-memory loss, still knew how to work her gorgeous little mojo. �Wow!� Cordelia said as she checked out the sleek black 2002 Chrysler Sebring Sedan displayed in front of her. Someone�s got money! After perusing the chrome, she noticed the dark-haired, very well-dressed man standing in front of it. The Buffy chick had stepped ahead of her and greeted the man warmly. So THIS was Xander? Not bad, not bad at all! What was it that Buffy had said? Xander�s of the past? Well wasn�t she here to reacquaint herself with the past? That part might be fun anyway. �Boy, this is weird.� Buffy said out loud, though she didn�t mean to. Xander and Cordelia were obviously checking each other out, and liking what they saw. She elbowed him in the rib to get his attention as she made an introduction. �Cordelia, this is Xander Harris�a friend. He also went to Sunnydale High.� Cordelia stepped right up to him, offering her hand and a dazzling smile. �Hi there! So, we went to high school together? I was perusing the old yearbook on the train. I can�t believe I passed your picture by though. I�m sure I would�ve noticed a handsome fellow such as yourself.� Xander blushed. Buffy raised an eyebrow, amazed at his reaction. She couldn�t say she ever saw Xander blush or gush or anything of the sort. Well, maybe he did gush on occasion. Cordelia continued, �So you�re not a vampire or a demon or any kind of bad thing, right?� Xander looked down and kicked his foot like a shy little boy. �Oh no, I�m just me. Just ordinary old Xander Harris.� He looked up at the blonde beauty again. �Well good! You don�t know how happy that makes me to hear that!� Cordelia flipped her short hair and turned to Buffy. �Shotgun!� Buffy rolled her eyes and glumly took a seat in the back. Xander muttered to himself with an air of irony, �NOW she�s happy that I�m ordinary?� The former secretive high school couple grabbed the front and passenger seats of the vehicle, and once the psuedo scoobs were all secured, they zoomed out of the parking lot on their way to Revello drive. *********** Spike hated L.A. He wasn�t sure why. Things just never were what they seemed in the place, kinda fake�plastic. He�d spent some time in Hollywood back in the 50�s. Even tried his hand at acting in a bit part of a movie. It was a typical fluff picture�girl meets boy, boy�s a bad-ass, parents disapprove, boy gets in a gang fight and dies, girl cries. Spike played a gang member, and he was so good at his part, they offered him a contract at Universal Pictures. But he knew better than to sign the darn thing. Some other bloke he knew got offered the same deal. Spent half the time taking bloody stupid promotional pictures and the rest of the time in useless acting classes. Never saw any screen time. Back then the studios owned you. Nobody owned Spike. Well, not before Buffy anyway. Now, as he looked up at the over-done lights of Hollywood and Vine, Spike realized why LA still pissed him off. Never had any bit of luck in this town. His last visit, just a few years ago, brought him nothing but annoyance. What a lovely reunion that was with his grand-sire. Well it actually was fun up until that part when that Oz-fellow showed up and �caused him a bit of trouble in his plan to get the Ring of Amara. Whatever happened to that guy? Spike wondered for a minute, then figured he�d ask Willow about it some time when he got back to Sunnydale�back to Buffy. Angel was holing up at some grand hotel these days. Spike found it pretty easily. In perfect Angel style, it was big and noticeable. Boy never did anything simple. No invitation needed, he stepped through the glass doors of the �palace�, startling a pretty young dark-haired girl and a wanna-be rough man. The dark man spoke almost immediately, �Can I help you with something?� Spike�s evil senses were tingling. It was this place, LA, and his last visit that were most predominant in his mind. Something inside made him want to bash this guy�s head in for no apparent reason, but there was a stronger pull from his newly improved conscience. The voice he wanted to listen to, the one he wanted to forever win, won out this time. �I�m here to see Angelus.� The dark-haired girl smiled, and grew even lovelier with its appearance. She spoke meekly but sweetly. �Oh! I know who you are. Spike, right?� She climbed the stairs and offered her hand to him. �I�m Winifred Burkle. They call me Fred. I�ve heard a lot of good things about you, and I really think you�re doing the right thing in coming here. I know Angel can help you.� �William the Bloody, � came the voice of the sullen man behind her. He grunted. �So, you got yourself a soul now, and you�re not bad anymore, huh?� He shifted his eyes as he picked up a self-propelling stake rifle. He didn�t aim it directly at Spike, but his intentions were clear. It was obvious he had no trust in the vampire. �Don�t think I don�t know what happened last time you came out this way. Don�t think you can just waltz in here and expect a song and dance.� �Well, I�ll settle for just the dance, but if you�re pipes are good, a song would be equally welcome,� Spike responded curtly as he walked passed Fred. He stood eye-to-eye with the threatening man. �You must be the one they call Gunn.� Spike laughed quickly and knowingly before growing serious and staring him down. �Don�t you think for one minute that you know one bloody thing about me. You think you�re on top of the game here? For centuries, I came across punks like you. Sucked them up and spit them out before they even knew I was standing next to them. Don�t think you�re much of a match for that.� Within moments, Gunn was disarmed of the weapon, and blinked several times at his supposed foe before realizing the gun was in the vampire�s hands. Spike smiled warmly. �Now, that we�ve got that cleared up, why can�t we all just get along?� He turned back to Fred. �So, where�s broody boy at?� Fred nervously moved in between the two men. �Oh Angel�s out on a job. I guess he didn�t expect you�d be coming tonight.� She steered Spike away from her boyfriend. The phone rang, and a less-defiant Gunn moved to answer it. �Angel Investigations�� He grabbed the phone and slid behind the counter to talk more privately. Spike took the opportunity to reassure Fred. �Listen,� he said somewhat comfortingly, �I didn�t come here to �cause any trouble. That�s not my bag anymore. I need to take care of some things, and I want to do it as quickly and quietly as possible, and then get the hell out. No one�s going to get hurt here. You have my word.� Fred smiled at him, warm with understanding. Spike liked her instantly. She was a reasonable sort of girl. Smart and kind and more than likely under appreciated around these pump boys. Speaking of which, Mr. Testosterone King was making his way back to them with a sense of urgency, �Big deal on Madonna Street. Looks like a new batch of Swagger demons just hatched over in Inglewood. Gotta go exterminate the nest.� Fred was at the ready instantly loading up gear and weapons. They were almost out the door when Gunn looked back at the vampire. �You coming with or what?� Spike replied evenly. �Why not? Always wanted to become an honorary member of the A-Team.� ********* �No, this doesn�t look familiar at all.� Cordelia commented as they traveled down the streets towards the Summers� home. I mean, it feels warm and cozy and home-like, but I just don�t exactly recognize it.� �Well, that�s �cause this isn�t your part of town. You lived over in the Hidden Ridge section, a place we also lovingly refer to as Mansion-ville,� Xander explained. �I KNEW I was rich!� Cordelia replied excitedly, �I just feel like money.� A short bit later, the gang stood in front of Buffy�s house. A turn of the key, a shout of hello and then the three stood inside. Mere seconds after that, two pairs of clumping feet paraded down the steps. A pretty girl with reddish hair and a shorter one with long brown waves smiled at the guest expectantly. The redhead spoke to her. �Cordelia! Hi! I�m Willow. I know you don�t remember me or anything, but oh, we uh, actually had some kinda, fun times together way back when. You know, back in the day. The good ole days of Sunnydale. Back when things were, uh, sunny!� �Hi,� Cordelia uttered quickly. �Nice shirt, Willow. Is that vintage?� Cordelia admired the colorful, funky peasant blouse Willow sported while making a mental note that she�d have to hit the store that it came from tomorrow. Another voice chirped in, distracting her appraisal of the blouse. �Hi!� Cordelia turned and stared at the other girl. �Hey, I know you!� Dawn looked somewhat puzzled at the statement. Cordelia went on. �Well obviously I�m supposed to know all of you, but I really don�t remember at all, but you,� Cordelia�s eyes narrowed as she studied the Summers sister, �there is something SO familiar about you.� Buffy almost gasped at the irony. Technically, Cordelia wouldn�t have had any real memory of her sister. They never actually met, but at the same time, Buffy could easily remember a time where Cordy got ticked off at Dawn for spilling grape juice on her Prada bag. The-Powers-That-Be in Sunnydale and beyond worked in ultra-mysterious ways�of that she had no doubt. �So Cordelia, I hope you�re okay with staying here. I know it�s a bit strange and all, but you�ll have full freedom to come and go as you please and we want to fill you in on some things.� The Slayer turned to her friend. �Xander, why don�t you take her stuff upstairs and we can get her settled in and talk...� �No,� Cordelia interrupted, then smiled politely. �I mean thank you and all, but I�m not really here to be �settled�.� Her tone grew serious. �I want to remember who I am, and that�s not going to happen just by talking.� She thought for a moment. �Take me somewhere. Somewhere I might remember. Someplace I liked.� The original scoob-troika looked at one another, mutually agreeing on the place. Then they spoke simultaneously. �The Bronze.� |
| Note: The following story takes place prior to Buffy season 7 "Selfless" and prior to Angel season 4 "Spin the Bottle". This commences an AU B7/A4 |
| PART III |
| What do you think will happen? Tell us here |
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