Family Affair
by Cordy's Angel. Contact them here and here
Disclaimer: This is a fan piece. It was not created or distrubuted for profit. The characters, situations, and music mentioned in this fic belong to their respective creators/companies/etc.
Spoilers: Up to and including Birthday - season 3
FEEDBACK PLEASE! We live for it!
Rating: T+
Distribution: Ask and you might just receive.
Summary: With the birth of Angel?s child, could this be the eye opener that everyone needs.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter One
Angel stared at the baby lying on the ground. His baby, his son. It had long since stopped raining and the baby lay crying on the ground. Not knowing what to do, Angel wrapped the baby up in his duster and held him close. It was then that Cordelia climbed out of the car and cautiously approached him.
"Angel?"
He looked up at her and she noticed the baby in his arms. As she slowly approached him, Angel turned the baby, who had now stopped crying, towards he . She rested a
hand on Angel's shoulder, as they looked down at his son.
"He's beautiful." she said, pulling the duster away a little to get a better look.
"I have a son!" He exclaimed as he looked up at her.
"We should get back to the car; we don't want him catching a cold." Cordelia said as she slowly led him and the baby towards the rest of the group waiting in the convertible.
Gunn lounged in the driver seat, while Fred sat in the middle and Wesley sat on the other side. They all turned to Angel as he and Cordy got in the car.
"Oh, wow, he's so cute!" bubbled Fred.
Angel smiled down at his son as Fred, Wesley, and Gunn all turned in their seats to get a better look. Gunn leaned over his seat and he and Wesley started making baby noises.
"Hey little guy, I'm your Uncle Gunn. When you grow up, I'm gonna teach you how to make your very own axe using only a pole and a hubcap."
"And I'm your Uncle Wesley. I'll be here to teach you everything you need to know when it comes to researching demons."
Cordy, Angel, and Fred all looked towards Wesley and Gunn, the looks on their faces clearly displaying what they were thinking: "there?s no way your gonna teach him that."
Feeling slightly embarrassed, the men turned around in their seats and Gunn started the car.
"Maybe we should go shopping for the little guy. I mean, I don't think he?s gonna like O Pos." Then, remembering that this was the son of two vampires, he asked,"He doesn't like O Pos, right?"
"He?s got a point, Angel. We?re gonna need diapers, baby formula, some clothes, and a crib." said Cordy.
"Right, we should head into town. There should be a few stores open at this time of night," agreed Angel.
Gunn pulled away from the curb and they headed into town.
* * *
When the gang arrived back at the hotel a little before dawn, they placed on the front desk the stuff they had bought, which caused the lobby to begin to resemble one of the many baby stores they had visited. Fred picked up one of the baby books they had purchased and started reeling off information about baby?s first check up. "Angel, it says here that he?s gonna need his newborn check up, a vitamin K shot, and a PKU
test."
"I'll take him to the hospital in a few hours. He?s still tired now, and Cordy can drive us." Angel said, still holding his son.
"Here, let's get him dressed and give him something to eat." said Cordy as she lead Angel and the baby up to his room, grabbing on the way what they need.
They placed the baby on the bed while Cordy opened a packet of diapers and Angel sorted the baby clothes.
"Right then, little guy, let's see if we can pry you away from Daddy for two minutes so we can change you." said Cordy.
"Pry him away?"
"Angel, you haven't put the kid down since he was born."
Angel, thinking this over, realized Cordy was right. "Sorry Cordy, you haven't held him yet have you?" he said as they put the diaper and clothes on the baby.
"It?s okay, Angel, I get it. You?re his father, Darla is his mother..."
"Was."
They sat on the bed, side-by-side, and looked at each other.
"And now this little guy is gonna grow up without a mom." she sighed. Angel saw a sad look pass over her face. Was she feeling left behind or unwanted?
"Cordy, you're closer to his mother than Darla will ever be. Sure she carried and gave birth to him, but you're going to be the one to take care of him. To change his diapers. To bandage his knees if he falls. You're going to be the one he gives his finger paintings to. You're going to be the one to sing to him when he?s tired or afraid, and, most of all, you're going to be the one to love him. And he?s going to love you, too. All of these are things that Darla can never do and things that can never be taken away from you."
A tear slid down Cordy?s cheek as what Angel said began to sink in. She wasn't being left out or ignored. If anything, this meant that Angel wanted and needed her around as much as she did him.
"You are gonna be here for all of that, right? You're not leaving me...uh...us, right?" Angel asked, panicking as he suddenly realized he didn't know if she wanted to stay.
"No, Angel. I'm not going anywhere." She smiled, wiping away the tear.
"Come here." he said as he pulled her into a hug. "And, before you ask, Cordy, I meant every word of it."
"How did you...?"
"Because I know you."
Smiling, they turned their attention towards the baby.
"So, have you thought of any names yet?"
"Yeah. Connor."
"It?s a beautiful name. Hey, Connor!" She grinned, putting her finger in his hand that lightly gripped her.
"Now, it's time to feed you, Connor." Said Angel, grabbing the already warmed bottle from the table.
Cordy and Angel placed Connor between them as they lay down on the bed. Angel checked the temperature of the bottle and then began to feed his son.
"He?s certainly going to have a strange life, isn't he?" said Cordy, looking at Connor.
"Yeah, but he'll still get to do all the regular growing up stuff. You know, first tooth, first step, first haircut, first day at school."
"Sure, and, when you Shanshu, we can take him for picnics on the beach--we'll have to buy you those plaid shirts for that. We can fly kites and go paddling and build sand castles." She said, yawning.
"Yeah, and go on vacations. Where would you want to go?" asked Angel quietly as he too grew tired. They were both nearly whispering now.
"How about a ski condo in Aspen?" she asked.
"Sounds good."
Connor finished his bottle and the three of them fell asleep. Angel, arm across his son and Cordy, keeping them both safe from the world for a peaceful night's sleep.
Cordelia was having the best dream. She was sitting on a beach somewhere, possibly Malibu, enjoying the sun and watching Connor play in front of her.
"Connor, don't run off too far. Stay here where I can see you." Cordy called to the toddler who was running around in a circle collecting seashells.
"Okay, mommy." Connor replied.
"Hey." said Angel as he sat behind Cordelia, placed his arm around her, and ran a trail of kisses along her shoulder.
"Hey, yourself. Did you get Connor the ice cream?"
"Right here." He said holding the cone of soft, fluffy goodness in front of her face and putting a dab on her nose.
"Hey! That?s cold!"
"Let me get that." said Angel, leaning around and licking the ice cream off her nose, and placing a delicate kiss on her lips.
"Good ice cream?"
"The best. I love you."
"I love you, too." she said, smiling.
"I love you too." mumbled Cordy in her sleep. Angel, half awake, looked up at her. Being too tired to know if he had just imagined her words, he put it down to his sleepyness and returned to dreamland.
Chapter Two
Angel awoke a few hours later with a nagging suspicion. He was almost positive he had heard Cordy talking in her sleep, and, when he realized what she had said, he suddenly found himself switching back to brood mode. Cordelia had said that she had loved someone and he was suddenly very jealous of that someone.
Now, opening his eyes, he found that he was alone on the bed. Panicked that something had happen to Cordy and Connor, he quickly sat up and looked around the room. He calmed down, however, when he saw Connor in his crib and hear the shower running. He got up and walked over to Connor, picking the baby up.
"Hey, little guy. How long have you been awake, huh?" he said, holding his son in his arms.
"You know, it does take a year or so before you'll get actual sentences out of him." grinned Cordelia as she stood in the doorway, drying her hair.
Turning to her, he spoke,"Good shower?"
"Yep, now I'm ready for a night of fighting evil."
"Hey, don't forget you were gonna drive me over for Connor?s check-up today."
"Yeah, let me dry my hair and we can go. Oh, remind me to swing by my apartment and pick up some more clothes. This is the last outfit I have here." She said, pointing to the clean clothing she now wore.
"Ok, we can do that on the way back." he replied. "I'll get Connor ready."
Soon, they were ready to leave. Having made sure the top was up, Cordelia pulled the convertible around to the back of the hotel. Angel quickly climbed in, carrying Connor.
After the five minute drive to St. Matthew's Hospital, Connor received his check-up and vitamin K shot.
"Your son is fine, he?s had his shot, and his PKU came back fine." said the doctor, carrying Connor towards them.
"Thanks." smiled Angel.
"Here, go to your mommy." cooed the doctor as she handed Connor to Cordy.
If Cordelia had heard the doctor?s comment, she ignored it. And, as Angel didn't want to cause an awkward scene, he decided to leave it be. In his eyes, anyway, Cordy was Connor?s mother. They gathered Connor?s things and went out to the car.
On the way back to the hotel, Cordy stopped by her apartment and got her things together. After telling phantom Dennis that, because they would be working for most of the night, she had decided to stay over again, they headed back to the hotel.
When they arrived back at the Hyperion, it was after midday. Wesley sat behind his desk, filing away some old, completed case files, while Gunn sat on the stairs talking to Fred. As Cordy and Angel entered the lobby, the three friends gathered around the baby Cordy held.
"How did it go?" asked Fred.
"Good, Connor?s fine." replied Angel.
"Connor?" asked Gunn.
"Yeah, I decided on Connor." said Angel, looking down at his son, who was surrounded by four other faces.
"Connor...that?s a lovely name...I don't suppose you ever considered Wesl..."
"No." the others chorused.
Cordy put Connor in his small crib that they had placed in the lobby and turned back to the others.
"So, guys, do we have any cases to work..." was as far as Cordy could get before the vision hit. Everyone gathered around her as the vision ran its course.
"I guess we do now" sighed Gunn. Cordelia looked up at him, her face serious.
"What did you see?" asked Angel, still supporting her. Cordy turned her attention to him.
"Gunn. I saw Gunn." She said, looking at the four faces surrounding her. Gunn?s expression grew serious.
"What happened?" asked Fred worriedly.
"The PTB have a mission for you and Fred." Cordy said in answer as she turned to Gunn.
"What is this mission, and where?" asked Angel.
"It doesn't go into much detail, but you have to go to Miami tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Why?" frowned Gunn.
"I don't know, but it?s important."
"What do they want with Fred?" he asked.
"I don't know. All I know is you have to go to Miami tomorrow. If you go to this address," she said, writing something down on a piece of paper,"then everything will be explained. The only other thing I know is that you may be gone awhile."
"We should go and pack. We'll need to leave soon if we want to get there by tomorrow." said Fred.
"Are you sure you want to go?" asked Gunn.
"The powers asked for both of us for a reason, and we?re not gonna know what that reason is unless we go."
"All right, we'll go. If you start packing now, we can leave in a couple hours." said Gunn.
"Okay." said Fred, giving Gunn a hug and running upstairs to pack.
"I'm gonna swing by my place and get my stuff. I'll be back in an hour, tops." said Gunn as he left the hotel.
Angel nodded to Gunn as he helped Cordy to the couch, where he kneeled in front of her. Placing his hands on her arms, he looked up to her. He had been so busy today that he had almost forgotten about what Cordy had said in her sleep. However, now that things had started to settle down, he began to brood again. The phone ringing interrupted his brooding, but he quickly began brooding again when Wesley answered the phone.
"Are you okay, can I get you anything?" he asked Cordelia.
"I'm fine. You don't see any horns or a tail do you?" she asked.
Humoring her, he gave her a quick once-over. "Nope, no horns." he said, moving her hair away from her forehead. "Oh, and no tail." he said looking behind her.
They both smiled. However, their attention was quickly drawn to Wesley. He had been quietly talking to whoever was on the phone until now as he suddenly exclaimed,"Oh my God!"
Chapter 3
Angel and Cordy both got up and walked towards Wesley.
"Yes...no I wasn't aware...how old?...it was in the line of duty?...Yes I understand...no I'll be there as soon as possible...yes, thank you." Wesley hung up the phone, and took a moment to compose himself before he turned to face his friends.
"Wesley, what is it?" Cordy asked, concerned.
"It?s...ah...Natalie, an old friend from the Watchers Council...she...ah...was killed today whilst helping defeat..." Wesley paused to compose himself. "I met her when I left Sunnydale...we were somewhat of an item. However, her responsibilities with the Watchers Council required her to be situated to a remote location, one where I could not follow."
"That?s when you turned up here in L.A. looking for a job." deduced Cordelia.
"Yes. I haven't been in touch with her since then. The Watchers Council saw fit to keep her location a secret, therefore I had no way of contacting her. If I had known then I wouldn't have missed out on the first two and a half years of my son?s life." he said, looking up at them.
"You have a son?!?" exclaimed Angel.
"Yes, it would appear that Natalie was pregnant before she left and wasn't aware of it until she was out of reach."
"Well, where is he? What did they tell you about him?" asked Cordy.
"I know that he?s nearly three, his name is Ben, and at the moment he?s staying with some of Natalie?s family members. But, they are unable to take care of him full time, and they want me to bring him up."
"Here in L.A., right?" Cordy asked, concerned.
Wesley looked down,"I will be staying in England for a few months, however, after that, I have no idea."
"When are you leaving?" asked Angel.
"Um, I'm calling the airport now to see when I can get a flight, but probably tonight."
Wesley looked up to see a slight tear in Cordelia?s eye. She walked up to him and gave him a hug.
"So I guess this means that, Angel, you're in charge again."
"I'll have a hard time filling your shoes." he said giving Wesley a pat on the back.
"I...suppose I'd better find a flight and get packing." He sighed, walking into his office and picking up the phone.
"Well, it looks like it?s just gonna be you, me, and Connor." said Cordelia turning to Angel.
"Looks that way." he nodded.
* * *
When Gunn arrived back at the Hyperion just a little over an hour later, he left his bags in the lobby and went in search of Fred. He found her in her room, packing a few last minute things.
"You all set to go?" he asked.
"Almost..." she said as she ducked into the bathroom and returned carrying her toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo.
Looking at her bag on the bed, he asked her.
"Do you really need all this as well as the suitcase downstairs?"
"Suitcase?"
"Yeah, the one I nearly fell over on the way in."
"That?s Wesley's."
"He?s not coming, too, is he? I thought the PTB just wanted you and me."
"They did." she turned to him. "Wesley had a phone call about an hour ago, after you left..."
* * *
Wesley, somehow, managed to book a flight for that very evening. He collected his belongings and brought them back to the hotel. He still had about an hour before he had to be at the airport and decided to say his farewells...
"So, Wes had no idea he had a kid?" Gunn asked.
"Nope, none at all." replied Fred, after she filled him in on the afternoon?s events.
"Man, that?s harsh. So, it looks like it?s just gonna be Angel and Cordy keeping this show running, huh?"
"I'm sure they'll be fine. I mean Cordy told me how it was just her and Angel when Doyle died.
"Yeah, I guess. You ready to go?" he asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be." she shrugged, handing her bag to Gunn. They slowly made their way down to the lobby.
Once there, they were met by Wesley, Cordy, Angel, and Connor, who was cuddled lovingly in his father's arms.
"Wes, man, I heard about what happened, I'm sorry." said Gunn, coming up to Wesley.
"Thanks." He replied quietly.
"Are you heading out now?" asked Gunn.
"Yes, my taxi should be here any minute, I just wanted to say my goodbyes."
"Well, good luck, man. I hope it all works out for you." said Gunn, hugging Wesley goodbye.
"Yes, you, too. We must keep in touch."
Fred grabbed Wesley in a bear hug,"I'm going to miss you."
"And I'll miss you. too, Fred."
As he finished his goodbyes, Wesley?s taxi arrived and Gunn helped him load up his luggage.
"Now, if you ever need anything, you know our number." said Angel.
"Yes, thank you. I'll call you, let you know how things are going."
"Hey, send us a picture of you and Ben!" smiled Cordy.
"I will." said Wesley as he got into the taxi and departed.
"Well, I guess we had better be going, too. As soon as we know what?s going on, we'll let you know." said Gunn, turning to Angel and Cordy.
"Take care of yourself and Fred." Angel said.
"Will do."
"Hey, Cordy, I just wanted to say thank you." Fred said.
"What for?" Cordy asked, slightly puzzled.
"For being such a friend. I mean everyone was great but..."
"...but it?s good to have another woman around the place?"
"Yeah." Fred smiled, and they hugged each other goodbye.
All the goodbyes over, Fred and Gunn left the hotel.
"I'm sure gonna miss them." sniffed Cordy, teary-eyed.
"Hey." he pulled her into a hug. "We?re gonna see them again."
"Yeah, I know, but everyone?s leaving today." She said sniffing again as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Pausing, she looked up at Angel,"You're not leaving, too, are you?" She was suddenly afraid that she was to be left all alone.
"Hey, of course not! I'm not going anywhere, and anyway, where would I go? I have everything here I need: you, Connor, a shot at redemption...I'm right where I'm meant to be."
"Thanks." She said drying her tears.
"Well, it?s certainly gonna feel empty around here. I was just getting used to having people around." Angel said.
"You're not gonna be all broody now are you, cos we can't have that."
"Not if you're going to be here keeping me company."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm just saying that, with the amount of time you spend here, you might as well live here. I mean, all that money you spend on rent, you could be saving for other things. I have enough rooms made up and...Connor really hates it when you have to go home." said Angel, thinking that Connor wasn't the only one who hated seeing her go.
"What about Phantom Dennis?" she asked.
"I'm sure we can find a spell that would allow him to move in as well."
Cordelia stood there thinking it over.
"Well, what do you say?" said Angel, Connor in his arms.
"I say, why not? I'd love to move in."
"You hear that, little guy? Cordy?s coming to live with us!"
Chapter 4
"Hey, Dennis, careful with that box." said Cordelia as the phantom stacked her boxes by the door, ready to be taken to the hotel.
Angel came in and turned to Cordelia. "Okay, I think this may take a couple of trips, the car is nearly full."
"Well, I've only got these last few boxes and then we?re all set."
"Okay, you get Connor, then we'll take this lot to the hotel and come back for the next batch."
Cordy walked into her room and leaned over the small crib set up for Connor. "Hey, Connor. Let's get you out to the car so you can see daddy, ok?"
She carried Connor out to the living room, where she called out to Dennis. "Okay Dennis, we'll be back in a few for the next lot and then we can work on the spell."
To show he understood, Dennis replied by opening the door for her. She thanked him and made her way out to the car as Dennis shut the door.
They arrived at the hotel some five minutes later and began to carry the boxes to Cordelia's room, which was located opposite Angel?s. They had managed to fit the three of them and a most of the boxes on the lift, so there were very few trips necessary.
After all the boxes were in the room, they headed back for the last load and the spell that would allow phantom Dennis to come stay at the Hyperion with them.
Dennis, hearing that he would be moving into the hotel, was happy. He still was uncomfortable in the apartment due to the still painful memories left by his mother. Also he didn't like the idea of Cordelia being alone, and, this way, he could still look out for her.
Finished packing the last of the boxes in the car, they performed the spell they had found. Once they had set fire to some "stinky herbs," as Cordy called them, wafted them around the room, and chanted some Latin, phantom Dennis was free to leave the apartment. Once they locked up her apartment and sent the keys to the apartment's owners, they grabbed some takeout and headed home.
When they arrived back at the hotel, Dennis settled into his new environment as they put away the last of Cordelia's things. Placing Connor in his crib, Cordy and Angel sat in his room eating the takeout.
"Wow, I can't believe I just did that! It was only yesterday that you asked me to move in and now here I am, the night after, all my stuff in my new room and I'm sitting here eating Chinese takeout with you!" Cordy said, sipping her wine.
"It was a little crazy wasn't it? But, hey, this will be good for us. I mean, now you get to see Connor all the time and we get to see you." They smiled at each other.
"Okay, toast time! To friends and moving on with a new chapter in our lives." she said.
"To friendship." said Angel as they leaned over, minding the candles on the floor, and clinked glasses. Pausing, they stared at each other.
Angel POV
Okay, this Kyerumption thing that Fred kept going on about is starting to affect my judgement. I mean, Cordelia and I are just friends, right? It?s just because Fred mentioned it and so did Lorne. But, then again, what if they?re right? I mean, my feelings for Cordelia have changed, but to what extent? And, anyway, what do I have to offer her? Okay, back to the topic at hand, you've just asked her to move in with you...and, oh god, you're staring at her...you're probably freaking her out...got to think fast...
Cordelia?s POV
Okay, Chase, calm down, he?s not checking you out. He?s Angel, he would never do that. You know he doesn't feel that way about you. And, anyway, what?s with all the whispering from Fred and Lorne? I don't hear whole conversations, but one word that keeps showing up is some Kyerumption thing. I have no idea what it means, but they think Angel has it. Of course, he would never have it for me, what ever it is. I mean, what do I have that Buffy hasn't already given him...well he has asked me to move in with him, maybe that?s a good sign...yeah, right...oh god, you're staring...you're probably freaking him out...say something, quick...
"Paint." Angel said as he pulled slightly away from Cordy before his eyes started to wander.
"Yes, paint." she replied, glad she had something to say to cover up the fact that she was staring. Then she blinked.
"What about paint?" she asked surprised.
"Paint...ah...for your room, I thought you might want to redecorate your new room." he said, trying to cover up his staring.
"Yeah, good idea, we could go to the store tomorrow and pick some up."
"Great, tomorrow we can redecorate." said Angel, as they went back to finishing their meal.
* * *
The next day Cordelia went to the store and bought the paint for her room. She had chosen a lilac color to match her favorite throw for her bed. She also picked up a few paintbrushes and rollers, as she couldn't find any in the hotel. She then returned to the Hyperion where Angel awaited, ready to start work.
They had placed Connor in his crib for a nap and started painting, talking as they worked.
"Hey Cordy." he called, as she turned around.
"Yeah?"
"You've got a bit of paint on your face."
"Really, where?"
"Right here." said Angel, as he ran the paintbrush over her cheek.
"I can't believe you just did that! Oh, you are so gonna pay!!"
"Uh oh." muttered Angel as he ran to the other side of the room. Cordy picked up one of the rollers and stalked over to Angel.
"Oh, Angel...you have a little paint on your shirt." she said, running the length of the roller up his chest.
"Really, well you have some on YOUR shirt, too." he retorted, grabbing a roller and running over her shirt.
"Ok, that?s it!!" she said as she got more paint on her roller and started to chase him around the room. This was all well and good until Angel got his hands on a fully loaded roller and paintbrush.
"Cordelia..." he called and she stopped suddenly.
"Ah, sorry, Angel, I...ah...didn't mean to get you there." she backed up, as he closed in on her.
"You didn't?"
Cordy saw a chance for escape and ducked under Angel?s arm. However, when he turned to get her, he tripped on one of the dust sheets on the floor and toppled over. Cordy, trying to catch him before he fell, also got caught in the sheets and tumbled, landing on top of him. Staring at each other, neither moved.
Chapter 5
Trying to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, they both relaxed and started to laugh.
Carefully, Cordy got up and offered an outstretched hand to Angel. He graciously accepted and they stood and surveyed the damage.
Thankfully for them, they had laid down some dust sheets, which had taken full frontal of the damage to the floor and furniture. The same, however, could not be said for the walls. There where streaks up and down, and large splashes of lilac paint brought life to the old, colorless walls.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say we need a clean up crew in here ASAP." groaned Cordy.
"I think we are the clean up crew." Angel replied.
Sighing, they started collecting the brushes and rollers and got back to work on finishing the painting.
By the time they had cleaned up the room and themselves, it was nearly 9:30pm. Connor was asleep in his crib and all was peaceful until Cordelia had a vision. Angel rushed over to catch her as blurry images and flashing lights played across her mind. He held her until the vision was over and then handed her a glass of water and her aspirin.
"Here, take these...what did you see?"
"A bunch of vampires, down at Lafayette Park, are chasing a young couple."
"Okay, will you be all right?"
"I'm fine. I'll watch Connor, just go get rid of the big bad."
"I won't be long. Get some rest." he called, as, loaded with stakes and a broad sword, made his way out to the car.
* * *
Angel arrived back at the hotel a few hours later, with only minor injuries, which had almost completely healed. He found Cordelia asleep on his bed, Connor?s teddy bear in her arms. He smiled at the sight, covered her with a blanket, and went to check on his son. Connor was also asleep, so Angel decided to get cleaned up. He was a bit of a mess. After dealing with the vampires from Cordy?s vision, he had gone on patrol and had run into some other creatures of the night looking to party. Unfortunately for them, Angel crashed said party.
Once clean, he locked up the hotel and headed back to his room. Looking at Connor and Cordelia, both still asleep, Angel contemplated how good it would feel to curl up with Cordy and fall asleep.
Angel POV
I wish I could just cuddle up with her and then everything would be fine. Just to fall asleep in her arms...I know she couldn't feel that way about me. Although, she did talk in her sleep and say that she loved someone. That someone could be me. Hah. Even if she does love me, it's probably platonic. But, right now, I don't care enough to brood; I'm too tired. All I want to do is fall asleep in Cordy?s arms. I wonder if she would notice if I just stayed right on the edge of the bed...
Angel decided to go for it. He lay down on the bed and was about to move over to the edge when Cordy rolled over, placing an arm over his stomach and resting her head on his chest. He didn't move an inch.
"G?night Angel." She mumbled sleepily.
As he placed a protective arm around her, he smiled and closed his eyes.
"G?night Cordy." He all but whispered back.
Cordelia woke up and smiled. She and Angel were still in each other?s arms and she took a few minutes to store away the moment, knowing full well that this was as close as she and Angel would get.
Cordy?s POV
Okay Cordy, tuck this one away for safe keeping because as much as you want it to happen, Angel doesn't care for you that way. But think how lucky you are: you've seen things in Angel that others haven't. You've made him smile. You've taken care of him when he limps home, hurt, after saving people. Sure you've had to love him from afar, but at least you know that he cares for you even if it is platonic. Okay, stop ruining the moment with what you can't have. Just enjoy lying here with Angel.
Angel was having a dream. He was some place warm, bathed in sunlight. He saw sure that he could hear the ocean in the distance. He was with Connor and Cordy. He turned and smiled at her.
"I love you Angel." she breathed.
"I love you too." he replied as they kissed.
"I love you too." said Angel in his sleep. Cordy?s eyes flew open.
Cordy?s POV
I knew he still loved Buffy. Or is this someone new? Probably blonde. That would be so like him. Great now I'M brooding. She sighed and tried to go to back to sleep.
* * *
The next day very quiet. Angel and Cordelia were both silent and brooding, but Cordelia was getting sick of it. She sat at her desk, flipping through an old issue of Marie Claire, not reading and not really looking at the pictures either.
Angel sat on the couch holding a book. However, like Cordelia, he, too was not reading. He just sat there, staring at the pages, wistfully willing all the answers to fall out of the book.
After a few more minutes passed, Cordelia could no longer stand the tension. She threw her magazine down on the desk and huffed. Angel looked up from his book.
"Are...are you okay?" he asked.
"No, I'm not okay, okay?" she huffed.
"What?s wrong?"
"What?s wrong? What?s wrong? Has the tension of the room completely escaped your attention?"
"Huh?" he asked confused.
"Us...you and me...not talking...what is this about?"
"Ah...what do you mean?"
"I mean, you've been sitting there for the last hour brooding about something and I
wanna know what." she said, getting up from her seat.
"What do you mean? I've been reading. You, on the other hand, have been flipping through that magazine for the last hour and, if you were actually reading it, I'd say you'd know each page like the back of your hand." he said, throwing his book onto the nearby coffee table.
"Me? You?re the one who has been brooding!" she replied, as they both walked up to each other.
"No I haven't!" he yelled.
"Yes, you have!" she yelled back.
"Yeah, well so have you!"
"I know!"
"What about?!"
"About you!"
"Yeah? Well, I've been brooding about you too!"
"Why?!"
"Because you don't love me!"
"Yeah? You don't love me either!"
"Yes I do!"
"So do I!"
They both stopped shouting and the hotel became silent.
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