Chapter 2
Angel entered the apartment surprised to see Wesley stretched out on the sofa reading the newspaper and drinking tea. “Taking a break?” Angel asked looking around for Cordelia, disappointed not finding her.
“Yes a break, of sorts,” Wesley answered without looking up from his newspaper.
“Where’s Cordelia?” So much for her understanding she’s not to go out at night alone. Maybe she’s not alone. “Wes, where’s Cordy?”
“She’s taking a bath. We thought we might get a bite to eat, maybe take in a movie. That is if we can agree on something that won’t make me wish to be deaf and blind.”
Cordelia was going out with Wes. “Oh, a night of fun sounds good. I understand you guys need to take a break from all the research. So what can you tell me about The Hyperion?”
“What can you tell us?”
“Huh?” Angel spun around to face his inquisitor. Skin still damp from the steam of her bath, her fingers tugged through long tendrils of wet hair working out the stubborn tangles.
Cordelia ignored Angel’s weird, dork-like stare stepping around him to the table piled with clippings and printouts from their day’s work. She had worked up quite a steam of her own while bathing. Less than twenty-four hours ago Angel had professed himself her champion, committed himself as her protector and now the hermit vampire was backpedaling. Cordelia lifted a folder; the one that contained what she was sure represented only a handful of his two and a half centuries of secrets.
“Here,” she said reaching the folder out, “this is probably what you’re looking for. 1952 seems to have been an interesting year, well interesting if you’re into murder ala helter-skelter.”
Thinking it best to ignore Cordelia’s agitation for the moment, Angel took
the offered folder. Sitting down in one of the empty chairs at the table he placed the still securely locked satchel at his feet. Opening the folder, he skimmed its contents lingering on the newspaper headlines and various photos, spying a rarely seen face in the background of one. His gaze trailed up to look into Cordelia’s face, which earned him an “umph” before she stormed into the kitchen.
“Why are you so upset?” Angel asked rising up and dumping the folder and its too familiar reminders back onto the table before stomping after her.
“Why am I upset? I’ll tell you why I’m upset.” The juice carton hit the counter so hard the liquid sloshed from its open spout spilling onto the countertop. “Wesley and I spent all afternoon researching that old hotel’s history and you could have just told us, if you trusted us enough that is.” Her accusation finished Cordelia wiped up the sticky mess with jerky smacks of a paper towel before returning the juice to the refrigerator having never poured it into her glass.
“I’m sorry if I upset you,” Angel declared as he began to pace the short length of the kitchen. “But have you considered there might be things that happened in that hotel that I don’t want you to know about?”
“Duh,” Cordelia answered as they met passing each other in their rigid pace.
“Duh, what does that mean?” Angel demanded stopping short. Asking was not necessary since her refusal to answer wasn’t going to be an option.
Cordelia swung to the right mid pace to prevent their collision sending Angel another bite me or burn in hell glare. He couldn’t be sure which only knew which one he would accommodate.
Stepping aside to give room to the waving accusations of her arms Cordelia swished her hands at Angel’s face. “It means Angel we’re only a team if you don’t have to share.”
“I share with you…both of you…all the time and get your hands out of my face.”
“Pfftt, you do not. Tell him Wesley, tell him,” Cordelia insisted jabbing her finger at the man as though she needed to point out her required compliance.
“Well I…you see,” Wesley stuttered. His legs still stretched out he had pulled himself upright on the sofa staring over the back at his two arguing and pacing partners. “You see Angel; perhaps you should…sometimes you.”
“Gees Wesley spit it out. No wonder you kiss like a fish. One uncomfortable confrontation and you go belly up.” Cordelia snipped, providing Wesley with his own foot stomp.
“Well excuse me for choosing my words carefully.” Wesley sheepishly defended. He hadn’t been thrilled about the idea of this confrontation from its conception and now that his kissing skills were being questioned he was against the idea entirely.
“Choose your words, did you pick any?”
“That’s not important right now Cordelia, focus.” Another demand issued, Angel’s voice more harsh than Cordelia could remember being directed at her.
“You’re right; why won’t you-”
“How do you know Wesley kisses like a fish?” Angel asked surprised that his third demand would tempt Wesley to leap in wailed denial.
“I do not kiss like a fish. Cordelia you take that back…and I am waiting for an apology.”
“Wait all you want Wesley, wait for pigs to fly if you want an apology. I have bigger things to worry about…like having two idiots for partners.” Cordelia wasn’t sure what they were arguing about anymore, she only knew Cordelia Chase would not be the yoyo at the end of this vampire’s string.
“Why are we discussing Wesley’s fish kisses?” Cordelia asked, her pace becoming heavier and more erratic as her temper flared higher.
“Because you brought it up.” The two men cried out in unison.
“Aarrrgggg,” Cordelia screamed, pots and pans rattling as Dennis joined in her frustration. “Look the kiss doesn’t matter, it was just the one time when we thought the mayor was gonna eat us. It was bad, worse than being on the menu even and it never happened again.”
“Well except that one time when I first arrive in LA.”
“Oh yea, I forget about that.” Anger and pacing were temporarily set aside as Cordelia and Wesley reminisced his arrival and their experimental vision dispensing kiss. “That one was definitely better.”
“What the hell do you two do when I’m not around?” Was this one harsher than harsh? Cordelia guessed it was since Angel’s voice sounded like heavy grit sandpaper being scrubbed bare as it scraped off the first layer of steel.
“Besides research,” Cordelia asked putting quotation marks in the air. “And let me just say while we’re on the subject of research and kissing, if being left behind to research with Wesley was an aphrodisiac I’d be a freakin’ nymphomaniac by now.”
“Wh–at,” the word nearly choking inside his throat as it battled a stifled growl. What are you talking about, being left behind? When do I leave you behind and since when is researching with Wesley an aphrodisiac?”
“Try all the time.” Her voice mimicked and flaunted. Cordelia was beyond angry now, she was pissed. ‘Cordy you stay here and help Wes research the gray blobby, purple oozy thing while I track and kill it’. Would it kill you to just once ask me if I’d like to join in the maiming and killing?”
“So now you want to fight demons; is that it?”
“Noooo, but it’d be nice if you asked once in a while and researching with Wesley is not an aphrodisiac. God Angel digress much; we’re not you and Buffy patrolling in a graveyard.”
Cordelia was pretty sure some steam might have puffed from reddened ears. She saw the jaw clinch to a crushing tightness and wondered if this was a prelude to fangs and bumpy forehead.
“I’m gonna let that little snark slide because we have more important issues to deal with right now but bite at the wrong thing again sweetheart and I’ll demonstrate what punishment is.”
Sharp fangs and bumpy-uglies be damned. Did Angel just threaten to punishment her for bad behavior? What were they now, father and daughter, priest and wayward sinner, more like dumb-ass and good samaritan.
Cordelia felt static air prick her flesh, Dennis rushing to her defense. Swatting a hand at the non-visual she sliced through the electrical charge buzzing a perimeter around her personal space. Queen C didn’t need it, she would show this dracula reject just what a real bite was.
“Bastard,” the single word trilled from her wrenching chest spilling into the room. Stinging tears much too loose for an audience trailed close behind. Queen C sucked into the emotional oblivion that was her life, Cordelia fled to the one sanctuary left in her overrun apartment.
Eyes snapped shut. The buzzing stopped but his ears were still ringing haunted by the shrill of her bastard inflicted wound. He had allowed their petty argument to escalate beyond control and now he had hurt her and wasn’t sure how to make it right. If he was going to fix this he had to first figure out what they were fighting about and he had lost that particular focal point shortly after stepping through the door.
The slam echoed across the void sending a vibrating swoosh past his form. Angel cringed hearing the tinkling rattle of her precious glass menagerie. His eyes fluttered open falling on the salt and pepper shakers nestled beside the bumblebee sugar bowl. Keen sight picked up the slight residue of sticky goo left behind by hastily wiped juice. The scene had been altered, he blinked, and still not right he blinked again. This view had been obstructed only seconds earlier by innocence and acceptance wrapped in layers of heat and energy and perfectly proportioned feminine wiles.
Cordelia had taken refuge in the one place Angel could not follow. The sunlight wouldn’t do it and as a smart girl would, Cordelia knew the threat of sun and flames did not outweigh need embellished by anger.
Shoulders hunched in defeat Angel turned to the securely closed bedroom door. He didn’t need to feel the snap of electron charged air to know Dennis stood between him and the off-limits door.
“Wes what the hell just happened here?”
“Well Angel,” Wesley sat up swinging his legs to the floor finishing off his upright position with a slap to his knees. “I believe in 1952 you deemed it prudent to reside at The Hyperion and later you went to hell, quite literally I might add. Now you live in LA with Cordelia Chase and well, should your current lodging require any filling in of the blanks I think that would best be done in private. I believe I will take my leave now, maybe get a bite to eat, possibly even take in a show and if I’m lucky…I’ll go deaf and blind. Goodnight Angel.”
His jacket draped across his arm, Wesley walked quietly to the door. He had said all he had to say about the matter. Leaving the two to work out what he considered a subject best left in the dark Wesley pulled the door shut behind his exit.
This isn’t hell. Hell was a sad excuse compared to this. This is the evil place he had been warned of in his youth by crotchety, old priests hell-bent that every sinner would live in fear of its existence. This is limbo, this is purgatory. That place where heaven is an awareness never seen and definitely never touched. Where the shackles of hell hold you in place teasing you with fiery strokes never letting you burn to ash.
Calm, keep your voice calm. “Cordelia open the door so we can talk.”
“Go away Angel, it’s obvious that us and talking do not go together.”
“That’s ridiculous, us and talking go fine together.” calm, calm-calm-calm. “Now why don’t you come out; I’m really not comfortable talking to you while you’re in your bedroom.”
“There’s a remedy for that Angel, stop talking.”
Screw calm. “Cordelia stop acting like a spoiled brat!”
“Spoiled brat?” The door shook and Angel was certain it was because Cordelia’s foot had made hard contact with the lower end.
“OK be like that, I on the other hand will take the more mature road and wait for you to act like the mature, young woman I know you are.” Angel went to sofa. Sitting down he sprang back up before his bottom hit the cushion. “Damn it Cordelia, I’m gonna count to ten and if you’re not out of there I will break down the door.”
Anger followed by a countdown was followed by the twist of the doorknob. “Fine, if you’re gonna pull the caveman antics I’ll come out.” Cordelia stepped from her private seclusion eyes red, the taste of salty moisture in the air. “See I’m out; now leave before I say something that might be remotely unflattering about your precious…” After a quick review Cordelia decided a bite to the tongue would hurt less than another round with Angel. “Angel just go.”
“I’m not leaving; Cordelia I don’t even know what we’re fighting about anymore.”
“Well I don’t either. I mean one minute we’re talking about you not sharing and suddenly Wesley’s a fish and I’m fighting demons.” Rambling stopped Cordelia shook her head trying to stop the tears before they could spill again.
Angel closed the distance between them gently grasping her upper arms. “Cordy, listen to me, I don’t want you fighting. I can’t risk you being hurt and I don’t think that’s something worth arguing about anyway.”
“It’s not and I don’t want to fight demons.” Cordelia admitted leaning her head down to rest against Angel’s chest. “I would…sniff-snort-sniff…if I needed to but I don’t want to.”
“That’s good ‘cause I don’t want you to.” Angel soothed resting his chin atop her head of damp hair that was becoming a bit unruly.
“Where’s Wesley?” Cordelia asked between sniffs.
“He mumbled something about being hungry and then about going deaf and blind if he watched a movie.”
“Pfftt, he’s by himself, he can watch whatever he wants, the melodramatic geek.”
“Hey when I first got here, before all the yelling, Wes told me you guys were going out for dinner. Do you still want to go out? We’ll even catch a movie if you want.”
Cordelia finally lifted her head but only so Angel could see her disbelieving eye roll. “What, I can be brave; I am you’re champion you know.”
And there it was again, her champion. Suddenly Angel wasn’t the guy shutting her out of his life and threatening her for trashing the big love of his life. Now he’s her champion…again. Cordelia wanted off, Angel’s tilt-a-world ride was making her seasick. “Thanks but I’m really not in the mood to go out. I think I’ll just turn in early.”
“Well then how about we have something delivered. We’ll eat, maybe watch a little TV and talk. Then we’ll get a good night’s sleep and tomorrow we’ll discuss what happened at The Hyperion when I stayed there. How does that sound?”
“Fine if that’s what you want but I don’t want you feeling like I forced you and if we’re eating in I want chinese.”
“I don’t, now go wash your face and I’ll take care of the rest.” He slipped his fingers under her chin lifting her face to his. “Cordy,” Angel whispered. Lost were the words that would break the moment and he touched his lips to her forehead. It was brief, barely a brush of cool lips to warm skin. It was innocent, two friends ending an argument that should have never happened. Cordelia smiled, then stepped away breaking the moment.
“Oh, and we can’t discuss that old hotel or anything else remotely related to work without Wesley. The man gets his panties in a wad over the least little thing.”
Wes and panties, that image will haunt me for days.
***
He was prepared to use his key but hearing the almost silent turn of lock and knob the key dropped back into his pocket. The apartment was dark and quiet. The door closing of its own accord, well mostly, Wesley leaned against the solid surface giving his eyes time to adjust. A sliver of moonlight found its way through a narrow gap in fabric casting a misty halo around the two sleeping bodies nestled on the sofa.
“Wes,” the voice was low, not soft tenderness but sleep disrupted gruff. The vampire was slouched on the sofa’s end, his long legs stretched out with his sleeping partner’s head cradled in his lap.
Angel instinctively took Cordelia’s upper arm in a tender grip. The meaning of the protective display not missed by their observer. Wesley reviewed his notes from anatomy 101. The hand had not risen from Angel’s side where it would have come into view from behind the curve of Cordelia’s hip but had slid up the contours of slender, shapely legs.
“Angel,” Wesley finally answered, not sure he had been directed a question. “My injuries were acting up a bit and being nearer here than my own flat I thought I would take refuge on Cordelia’s sofa. At this late hour I had assumed Cordelia would be asleep in her bed and you would be…elsewhere. I see I was mistaken.”
“We must have fallen asleep watching TV.”
Tired feet shuffled toward the lamp. With a simple click a small but adequate glow lit his path. Wesley looked to the TV screen, silent and dark and then to his friend’s vacant face, “I see.”
“I’ll take Cordelia to be-ed, so you can have the sofa.” In a smooth rise Angel straightened his hulking mass lifting the young woman like the weight of a small child. Without a word he turned and slipped into the adjacent room content once again in its cover of darkness.
Wesley watched from the doorway as the bedcovers lifted, Dennis and his not so invisible doting waiting for Angel to slip Cordelia inside. Her body eased onto the mattress with little disturbance and blankets rolled forward stopped by the vampire’s firm but gentle grasp.
Wesley hadn’t missed how the word had choked in Angel’s throat and wondered as he watched the two tuck the blanket around Cordelia’s sleeping form if the vampire and the ghost realized the futility of their desires. Wondered if the young woman was confronted by this revelation, would she embrace it or run screaming into the night. But for now, Wesley was content Cordelia had no such knowledge and neither would-be suitor was prepared to challenge that particular naiveté. So Wesley would be the martyr; experience had taught him that choices were seldom unrestrictive. In light of their circumstances, only one choice could be acceptable.
“Angel, I’m sure Dennis will make sure Cordelia is taken care of. You should leave Dennis to what he does best.” Wesley watched the vampire’s shoulders droop. Regret and defeat were a burdensome weight and many men buckled under that burden.
The back of his fingers brushed down her cheek, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear. His spine became rigid pulling him from his lingering hover and he swept from the room grabbing his coat as he approached the outer door. “Goodnight Wes,” Angel whispered as the door closed behind him.
***
Cordelia exited her bedroom with her arms stretched into the air. Her lips expanded in a wide-mouth yawn adjusted its shape into a happy smile when she spied Wesley lounging on the sofa. “Good morning Wesley.”
“Good Morning Cordelia, sleep well?”
“Yea and now I’m hungry, where’s Angel?”
“He went out a little after midnight, hasn’t returned yet.
“Oh…well Angel’s been sun intolerant for a long time, he knows to be careful. So anybody hungry?”
“Pity Dennis can’t cook, then you’d have practically everything a woman wants in a man.”
“Dennis is pretty well rounded for a…you know, and he’s not likely to cheat on me either.” Cordelia instinctively rubbed the scarred reminder through her pajama top. She wasn’t sure why that particular memory called for attention.
“Cordelia is something wrong?”
“No just thinking back to how things used to be. You know, I was a little ditzy back in Sunnydale-OK a lot ditzy. OK fine, I was one ditzy bitch, but I could have had any man I wanted.” Cordelia pressed her index finger against her bottom lip staring at the friend. “You know Wesley back in the day you thought I was beautiful.”
“Well, I…You’re an extraordinary young woman but I…”
“Relax Wesley we’re just having a stroll down memory lane. Don’t get bunched up or we’ll have to buy more stewed prunes.”
“Cordelia!”
“Pfftt, how bad can it be if mushy fruit is the answer? I’m talking about the important stuff, life changing stuff. Like now that we’re in the superhero club the best action I can get is a ghost who’s good with the loohfah and God Wes, you don’t even get that.”
“Who’s doing what with the Loofah?” Angel asked sensing the slight cringe from Wesley and Cordelia.
“Not Loofah, Looh-fah Nooctm…Skumth. It’s a demon.”
“You had a vision?” Angel asked, mild suspicion quickly turning to mid-level panic.
“Nope, vision free. So, you went with the dark clothes today. That’s always a good choice…as in didn’t really have to choose, just reached in and grabbed a hanger. So, who’s hungry?”
“Cordelia keeps throwing subtle hints for someone to cook breakfast. I was just about to concede but luckily Angel, you arrived in the nick of time.”
“OK breakfast duty it is, you want omelets or pancakes?”
“Can I have just scrambled, like we used to at the old office? Wait does just scrambled give me time to shower?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“Twenty minutes? How can a girl make herself beautiful in twenty minutes?” Cordelia performed a fashion model turn and spin. “Oh, I’m already beautiful. Twenty minutes it is.”
***
Shower accomplished in record time, eggs had been scrambled and eaten. Discussion of the past followed by question and answer time was well underway.
“So you just walked away?”
“Yea.”
“Well Angel, it was a rather emotional time. I mean a Thesulac demon can be very overwhelming to one’s psyche even for a vampire.”
“Yea big guy you were lucky to get out of there with body and soul intact.”
“Probably.”
“No probably, those people killed you. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t actually die, again.”
“But they couldn’t control what they were doing.”
“And neither could you.”
“I guess you’re right.” Angel admitted relieved to feel the past slipping further into its dark shadow with each encouragement. Cordelia had been right, which seemed to be the trend lately. He should have told them about his experience in the hotel. Relief would have come a lot sooner.
“Guess! Have you learned nothing? Of course I’m right.”
Now for the hard part, Cordelia contemplated her strategy carefully. Her usual snark and snarp wasn’t going to get her what she wanted. “So, creepy hotel, hoowee scary. Guess we’re still doing the office and apartment hunt thingy. Don’t worry big guy, we’ll find something.” Cordelia reached across the table’s corner giving Angel’s shoulder a few reassuring pats.
“Actually, I was hoping we could move in this week.” Cordelia’s eyes snapped up, her vision clouding as they glazed over.
I should have shown her the money first. Reacting swiftly Angel attempted to pull in an ally for his endeavor. “Wes, maybe you could check out our chances of leasing the place. You know, figure out the move in cost and whatever else we need to know.”
“Of course, I’ll get right on it.”
Wes is so easy.
“But perhaps it’s best to first determine if Cordelia will be requiring resuscitation.”
Damn, so close. “Cordelia, you all right? Say something.” Angel considered giving her a shake but was afraid she’d spin off her chair if he touched her.
What just happened? I was cute, adorable even. Cordelia gave her head a quick shake. Convincing Angel he didn’t want to move into hotel hell would be harder if she couldn’t see him. “Uh, Angel you know fixing that place up is going to take money. Now I know we have the insurance, which I suggested by the way-which isn’t what’s important.” Her arms slipped off the table, hands firmly attaching to hipbones in subtle disagreement. “But it is worth mentioning.”
Money…she’s mine. “Well I have a little something that might help with that, kind of a silver lining in a dark cloud thing.” Angel announced rising from the chair but holding back his smug grin until he’d turned toward the closet.
“Hear that Wesley, silver lining. Do you think the emphasis was on silver?” Cordelia asked her eyes clear and saucer-wide as she gave Wesley a swat across his arm.
Wesley stretched in his chair, his stomach uncomfortably full from the second helping of eggs and buttered toast. “I would think it unlikely that Angel stumbled across a silver mine in downtown LA.”
“As a child, and I’m taking a leap here that you were one, did you ever do anything just because it was fun?”
Wesley’s mouth fell open but nothing came out. Cordelia deserved a biting retort, he just needed to come up with one.
“Uh guys,” Angel interrupted to Wesley’s relief. Now he’d have more time to deliberate on a well planned, cutting response. “In here,” Angel continued holding up the satchel like a kid to be envied by all for his one of a kind toy.
Angel heading for the couch instead of returning to the table, Cordelia and Wesley scrambled to be the first to follow. “Ladies first, besides you don’t want to risk hitting a bruised rib on my elbow.”
“If there were a lady present I would certainly conduct myself as a gentlemen.” Ha, take that. “Ouch, you did that on purpose.”
“Did not you big baby.”
Angel quietly observed the childish banter but this time there wasn’t any nagging irritation. Cordelia could bring out the child even in a stuffed shirt like Wes, Angel mused with a smile. If snappy dialogue failed, she had no problem using a jab to the gut.
Angel flipped the lock allowing the satchel to open before turning it upside. The contents thumped against the floor scattering at their feet.
“Oh my God. Am I dreaming? Somebody pinch me.”
“Gladly.”
“OW! You did that hard on purpose.”
“Did not.” Wesley mocked Cordelia’s tease pleasantly surprised he wasn’t embarrassed by his behavior.
“Guys…look at what I’ve got. The excitement is over here.”
Did Angel just gyrate his hips? Good Lord this has been a strange twenty-four hours.
“Angel how-where-is it ours?” Cordelia finally asked dropping to her knees to get closer to the pile of banded money.
“That’s an interesting question Angel. Where did you get…all this?” Wesley asked extending a sweep of his hand and returning to his usual mode of composed and analytical.
‘Uh, Judy, the girl I told you about. She stole it from her employer.”
“I see,” was Wesley’s reply accompanied by the lift of a questioning brow.
“It’s a long story. Do you want me to tell you about it?”
“Nope,” Cordelia piped up from the floor scooping up bundles into her folded arms. “Not unless she wants it back. She doesn’t want it back, does she?” Cordelia asked, the dread of that possibility rattling in her voice.
“No, it’s ours,” Angel assured as he settled on the couch making sure his boots safely hung over the edge when he stretched his legs across the coffee table.
Cordelia hunched forward to wipe a palm across her forehead unwilling to release her stash, “whew that’s a relief. Here Wesley,” she reached up with a fistful, “don’t you want to touch it?”
“No, perhaps later,” Wesley declined with a grin taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch.
The two men sat back watching the odd but entertaining show. “You know if it was just me and Dennis I’d roll around in it naked.”
“Cordelia, really.”
“Oh put a sock it Wesley. It’s been a long time. A long, long time. I’m going to enjoy this and you are not going to mess it up with your stuffy butt attitude.”
Cordelia’s eyes had glazed again and Angel was mesmerized by the energy. He was going to enjoy this moment. It was a good moment and he was taking credit for it. The prickling of his neck caused by Wesley’s analytic watcher’s stare was not going to ruin it.
“Everything is fine Wes. Things just got a little confusing last night. That’s all. I had a long walk and did a lot of soul searching. I just needed to get some perspective.”
“I hope you’re right Angel.” Sincerity was clear but Angel didn’t miss the equal match of uncertainty.
“A week ago Cordelia was locked inside a world of insanity. People hurt her because she was with me.” Angel pointed to the young woman temporarily lost in her childhood days of indulgence. “Look at her Wes. This can’t be a bad thing. It can’t be…” Angel’s voice trailed off as his attention drifted back to Cordelia. Stretched out on her stomach, her giggles filled the apartment as Dennis showered her with thousand dollar bills.