Part 2: The Next Morning
Cordelia had just completed her short trek up the stretch of sidewalk in front of the hotel and turned gracefully preparing for her return trek for the third time or maybe it was the fourth, perhaps it was even the fifth.
She had lost count while trying to convince herself to go inside and act as if everything was normal. Well as normal as things can be when you’re a part demon seer for a vampire with a soul that happens to be the father of a human son. Add to that not so normal mix the fact that she and Angel had continued to grow farther apart as each passing month meticulously exposed another of the vampire’s secrets and you had to wonder why The Powers even bothered.
The Powers had graciously intervened at the final hour offering salvation from her vision induced death by mental explosion. When Cordelia had frowned at their suggestion of mingling her society blue-blood DNA with that of a demon, they had reluctantly disclosed their offer in its entirety. The Powers dangled in front of her the life she would have eventually found had she never encountered Angel that fateful night.
She watched as her dreams of fame, fortune, love and adoration became reality, but that happy story was quickly followed by the saga of her friends’ pitiful destiny had she never encountered Angel that fateful night.
The Powers are a highly intelligent, manipulative people and they knew her far better than she had ever known herself. So, for the first time Cordelia Chase was privy to all the facts and had the opportunity to make an informed choice about her life. The Powers released her from the false vision sleep; Cordelia made her silent birthday wish and blew out the twenty candles with one hearty puff.
Inner reflection over, Cordelia looked around at the reality of her decision. She was a part demon seer and waiting for her inside were her friends, her vampire with a soul champion and his human son. She was certain she had made the right decision, besides second-guessing was a waste of time. The Powers made it clear; their proposition was a one-time offer and once her decision was made, there was no going back.
So yes, she was certain about her choice and after one more slow trek up the sidewalk and back, she’d be ready to go inside and act like everything was normal.
***
Gunn had been at the hotel since a little after nine, always careful to arrive after Wesley. Things had gradually gotten more comfortable for him, especially since Fred had joined their small evil fighting organization. But even with Fred’s presence in the hotel, Gunn didn’t like to be there without Wesley or Cordelia.
“Morning Gunn.” Cordelia greeted the young man as she lovingly rubbed her hand over his baldhead. “Is Wesley in his office? Has Fred not come down yet?”
“There’s our girl. Yea, English has already hit the books and Fred went back to her room after breakfast. I think the girl over did it with the eggs. No matter what that vamp might be capable of, that’s not of the good, he sure knows how to scramble up some eggs. I guess you finally got a chance to catch up on your beauty sleep?”
“For your information Gunn, I’ve been at Jack’s catching up on work; not at home catching up on sleep.” Her voice coated with more anger than intended,
Cordelia cringed fearing it would lead to Gunn bringing up Angel’s unexpected return the night before. There were a lot of memories that Cordelia had pushed down deep hoping they would fade with time and Gunn’s comment about said vampire’s way with eggs had opened a floodgate. Her subconscious had immediately found the packed away memory of Angel making his famous scrambled eggs for her after a vision handling all-nighter.
“Sorry Barbie, don’t go off on one of your Malibu tizzies.”
Between spending so much time with Connor and waking up from her dream to find Angel really was practically on top of her, Cordelia decided she had dealt with about all she could handle in one week. She was helplessly watching the protective wall she had painstakingly built over the past year crumble and was in no mood to pretend she was in control of her world for Gunn’s sake.
“Malibu tizzies! Let me tell you, Mr. I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ no babies…” Cordelia’s rant on Gunn stopped short as her sight was drawn up the flight of marble steps. Well just great. Like I need more stress today.
Angel was halfway down the stairs when he heard Gunn and Cordelia squabbling but chose to ignore it since he and Connor were on a mission. He walked into the lobby moving straight to Cordelia turning Connor so he could look at her beautiful face.
“Here she is. Look who’s here Connor.” Lifting his eyes to Cordelia and dropping the baby talk voice, Angel continued phase one of his plan to get Cordelia back into his room. “I think he was confused when he woke up and you weren’t here. He’s been waiting for you Cordy. Connor wants you to hold him.”
The baby’s darting vision settled on Cordelia, which earned her a big slobbery grin as his arms jerked out to her, his drool covered mouth releasing a squeal of excitement. She resisted the natural instinct to hug the baby close, certain the denial would break her heart any minute. Her dilemma, she was equally certain of her heart breaking should she allow Angel back into her life. Resolve intact, Queen C armor up and ready, Cordelia made her stand for preservation.
“Oh no buster already told you…” Cordelia protested as she held her hands in front of her halting any further approach of father and son.
“…I retired the minute you got back. Look, I’m sure you had a really good time this past week impressing your slayer damsel with your manly demon fighting skills, no doubt followed by hot and heavy graveyard make-out sessions but it’s over…so get over it. Welcome back to bottles, diapers and spit up.”
Ignoring the tight squeeze in her chest , she immediately turned away from father and son knowing that any hesitation would suck her back into Angel’s world; ready or not. “Now back to my life. Any coffee? Gunn, you should check on Fred, she might be sick again if she ate too many eggs.”
Gunn watched as Angel dropped his head and made his defeated retreat to the second floor. No matter how many demons they faced it was Cordelia that could reduce them to a quivering mush with her icy stare or acid tongue and sometimes when she was really mad, both.
Not wanting to experience the queen’s venomous bite first hand, Gunn quietly marched up the stairs. After all, he had been issued orders by the agency’s real boss; it was irrelevant that the title had never been formally assigned.
“Cordelia, that was rather harsh.” Cordelia whirled around ready for her next defensive maneuver. Wesley was using his disciplinary tone and she was in no mood to be publicly reprimanded for unleashing her tirade on Angel.
“What harsh Wes, I’m tired; OK? I was the one taking care of Fred with the fever and the chills and the headache and the vomit! I was the one taking care of Connor practically day and night. If Angel doesn’t want the responsibility of taking care of his own child then he should have practiced safe sex. The man’s lived for two hundred and fifty years, you’d think he would’ve seen at least one prevent unwanted pregnancy ad.”
“Cordelia, please, the birth was foretold centuries ago.”
“Big whoop. Those fortunetellers should come up with something more original than two bodies getting groiny in the backseat. Hell Wes, if that’s all there is to it we’ll have to convert the hotel into a daycare center.”
The ironclad I-am-in-charge face gave no sign of faltering and Cordelia sometimes regretted Wesley having found his backbone. It was easier to manipulate him when he was as much of a girl as her, but those days were long past. Wesley had indeed found his misplaced spine and Cordelia had to admit he wore it well.
“OK Wes, I’m sorry. Tirade over so you can go back to your stuffy research book.”
“And what makes you think I was researching?”
Cordelia cast Wesley a know you all too well smirk which melted his stern face into a warm smile. “Very well, I’ll be in my office…researching, should you need me.”
***
“Easy on the big blue big guy. You have to have faith; you have to believe everything is going to work out.”
“Have faith…believe? What exactly am I basing this faith on Lorne?”
“Love my silly little stud muffin.”
“You know, Buffy told me where’s there love there’s hope, but I gotta tell you, I don’t see it. Cordy considers my time in Sunnydale as nothing more than a sex romp and why should see believe any different. It’s not like my actions this past year indicate anything more than that. Hell Lorne, when I asked them to let me come back I told them that I pushed them away so they’d be safe from the darkness that going after Darla and Dru would take me to and then Darla shows up ready to pop. Yea I’m sure Cordelia is going to fall in love with me any minute now.”
“Stranger things have happened sweet buns. For all you know she already has but she’s scared and let’s face it, you aren’t exactly the saint of patience and she feels that.”
“Did you sense something? Did you read her?”
“No I didn’t read her and even if I did you know the rules, no sharing with the details. Angel, you’ve got to relax and then she’ll relax. Look at how she’s bonded with our little big guy after just one week. You should watch and learn from the master. All our princess needed was for Connor to need her more than she needed to avoid Connor. So just relax and let it happen my little doubting dough boy.”
Angel wanted to give the green anagogic demon a choice; stop calling him pastry names or learn to walk with his head on backwards. He wanted to but he wouldn’t. The grim reality was that Lorne and Fred seemed to be the only two at the moment that didn’t think he was a selfish bastard who couldn’t be trusted.
But then again, Lorne and Fred were the only ones Angel had not abandoned, threatened and lied to.
The fact that Wesley and Gunn had rallied by his side when Darla returned and later when Connor was born did not delude him into believing that they had recaptured the friendship once shared. He knew Cordelia had either asked them to stay behind when she left or at the very least given her consent to their decision to stay.
There was no doubt in Angel’s mind that had Cordelia insisted they leave with her, he and Connor would now be alone except for Lorne. The only reason he had Fred was because Cordelia had been sucked into Pylea. The girl was so grateful to be rescued she willingly offered her devotion to her vampire hero.
As much as Angel readily accepted any admiration at this point, he had to admit that Fred was still a bit weird from her years of enslavement in Pylea and perhaps dispensed her hero worship a little too freely.
“Lorne are you telling me that you set her up to be stuck with taking care of Connor? Was Fred in on this; was Fred even sick?”
“Of course she was sick. That’s what gave me the idea and our sweet little Fredibuns was more than willing to indulge in a slow recuperation. Look if I had sensed that it was too much for the princess to handle, I wouldn’t have gone through with it. But look how it turned out. Your little love bunny and your little bundle of joy did just fine on their own and it’s obvious that the little guy has already bonded with his…”
“Don’t say it Lorne, don’t use the M word. Cordelia will rip off your horns and shove them in your heart. It may not kill you, but you won’t be able to sit down for a week.”
***
“OK Barbie checked on Fred just like you asked, even brought her downstairs for your inspection.”
“Thank you Gunn. I can always count on you.” A wide boyish grin swept across Gunn’s face when Cordelia graced him with one of her brighter than sunshine smiles.
“Hey Cordy.”
“Fred, feeling better? You look like you feel better.”
“Oh yea, I’m feeling a lot better. I was thinking, I’d really like to get some fresh air; how about you and me taking Connor to the park. We could get some ice cream, ooh maybe even tacos.”
“Not you too! Gees Fred, what is this; a conspiracy to force me into servitude?”
“What do you mean? I’ve been cooped up for days and I just thought it would be fun to spend the afternoon in the park and…”
“Cordelia, really.” Wesley interrupted Fred’s somewhat panicked explanation.
“I’m sorry Fred, it’s just…look, I have a lot of work to catch up on and I promised Jack I’d join him for dinner tonight, he’s meeting with a new client that could be very important to his agency. There was a benefit last week that his firm sponsors and he asked me to go but I couldn’t because I was taking care of Connor, so I really can’t say no. Besides Jack pays me a good salary for my work at his office and let’s face it, no one’s working here because of the great pay and retirement plan.”
“Oh wow, a benefit. Is it fancy, will you wear an evening gown?”
“Some of the richest people in LA will be there and yes it’s very fancy. You should see my gown, it’s gorgeous. Wes go back to your office, go research on the fortune telling stuff and take Gunn with you. Fred and I are going to enjoy a few minutes of girl talk that doesn’t include anything evil, smelly or oozy; OK?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure Wes… …Arrg…” Cordelia gasped as she slapped her hands over her eyes.
“Is it a vision? Cordelia…answer me.”
“Oh God no, please no…don’t…” * fabric ripped and fell in a lifeless heap * soft flesh scraped against ruff dirty pavement * wrists crushed in a bond of tight fingers * thighs forced open * her unwilling body now ready for his demented pleasures * “…oh God we have to stop him.”
Fred looked anxiously from Wesley to Gunn expecting one or both to stop the horrible thing happening to her friend.
Gunn feeling helpless to assist passed the burden to their resident brain. “English what is this? The visions haven’t been like this since…the change.”
Ignoring his partner’s questions, Wesley focused on getting Cordelia’s attention and pulling her out of the vision, if it was in fact a vision. “Cordy, what’s happening? Who do we need to stop?”
Hearing Cordelia’s hysterical cries, Angel quickly transferred Connor to Lorne and rushed down the stairs to the lobby. “Cordy! What’s wrong, what is it baby?” He attempted to wrap his arms around her but immediately jerked back when his touch seemed to frighten her even more.
Her eyes still clinched shut; Cordelia withdrew from the anticipated touch. * hands large and skilled wrapped around a slender neck * hard painful thrusts shattered the resisting innocence * “Don’t touch me…no…don’t… …oh God make it stop.”
“Wes what the hell is going on? I thought the visions weren’t supposed to hurt anymore!”
“They’re not.”
“Then what is it?”
“I don’t know Angel and stop yelling. Cordelia, it’s Wesley. Can you hear me?”
“Wesley? Oh god Wes…he… …she…Oh God! What if we’re too late?”
“Come on; let’s go to my office so you can lie down.” Angel watched as Wesley slipped his arms around Cordelia coaxing her limp and compliant body into his embrace. “When you’re ready to talk, you can tell me what you saw.”
***
Angel had been pacing on the outside of the closed door for nearly half an hour and was just about ready to risk barging in when the door opened. To his disappointment, only Wesley appeared and immediately closed the door behind his exit. Surprised to be targeted by the intense glare of eight probing eyes, Wesley was a little hesitant to make his big announcement.
“It was a vision.”
“And the pain Wes; what about the pain?”
“It wasn’t the vision causing the pain, well not directly. We already know that Cordelia’s partial demonization relieved her of the pain associated with the visions.”
“Yea, OK, then what’s going on Wes; spit it out.”
“The demonization also enables Cordelia to get inside the vision; it allows her to…to become the victim.”
“Become the victim? Why am I just finding this out now?”
“It’s fairly new Angel, it’s been a gradual process and I’ve been helping Cordelia learn how to control this new…skill.”
“New skill? It didn’t look like a skill to me. It looked like the visions used to be before she allowed herself to be demonized. Are you any closer to figuring out just what kind of demon The Powers put in her? Damn it Wes, you should have told me, I have a right to know.”
“No Angel, you don’t. Cordelia didn’t want anyone to know until she better understood it herself.”
“Wes we have plenty of examples that lies and secrets don’t end well.”
“You’re not the only one that didn’t know. I haven’t shared this with anyone.”
“I didn’t know.” “Me neither.” Gunn and Fred echoed their lack of knowledge concerning Cordelia’s secret demon skills.
“I was in the dark too big guy, didn’t even pick up anything from her aura.”
“Ok fine, none of us knew; let’s move on. What was happening in the vision that had Cordy so upset?”
“Ah yes, the vision. Cordelia received a vision of a young woman being…raped. The event was too traumatic for her to retain control and she slipped too far into the vision as it progressed and became trapped inside. She felt what the victim was feeling…she…in essence she became the victim. It was as if it was happening to her.”
“Christ sakes Wes, I have to see her.”
“Angel no!” Ignoring Wes Angel approached the closed door with determined strides only to find his final step blocked.
“Back off Angel. Cordy made it clear she doesn’t want to see anyone right now.”
Angel’s need to be with Cordelia was overwhelming making him resent the street punk’s intrusion in his home. “Get out of my way Gunn.”
Believing he had already seen Angel at his worse, Gunn felt no fear standing up to the angry vampire. “Maybe I’ll just stay right here and make you move me.”
“You took all the books.” “Yeah, well, you got the waffle iron.” “Hey! No! You can’t take this; I-I-I’m in the middle of it. Here, take this one.” “Don’t make me move you.” “Give him the book, Cordelia. Just give him the damn thing! Let him get the hell out.” “I don’t even know what you are anymore.” “I’m a vampire. Look it up.”
Forcing down the onslaught of painful memories, Angel took a deep breath hoping to calm the rage that pulsed far closer to the surface than was safe. Failing miserably, he tried to get past Gunn once more hoping that he would not harm the young man beyond a healable state.
“Gunn, I’m asking…please let me pass. I’m going to see Cordelia and I don’t need your consent.”
“Until my girl says you can see her, you ain’t gonna see her. That simple enough for your vamped brain to understand?”
“Oh good Lord. Angel…Gunn!”
The meager distance that separated them was eliminated with a single stride. A slight rattle sounded as Gunn’s back pressed against the closed door. The two men stood nose to nose, neither willing to back down.
“Whoa big guy, let’s just calm down and give everybody a chance to take a deep breath. Fighting amongst ourselves is not what the princess needs right now.”
The feral growl resonating from the trembling vampire echoed throughout the hotel. Fred jumped at the terrifying sound rushing to stand behind Lorne who was clutching a crying Connor to his own quivering body.
Angel was oblivious to the activity behind him, even the frightened cries of his son. The weak thread of control was completely gone and worse, Angel no longer cared. The boy had trespassed and that would not be tolerated.
“Listen carefully boy while your ears are still attached to your head. Cordelia Chase is mine. She has always been mine and she will always be mine. You may be her friend and I may allow you to spend time with my woman but make no mistake…you cross any boundary and I will rip out your spine, wrap it around your neck and choke the last drop of life from you.”
Angel’s gruff voice whispered a heinous and wicked evil that sliced into Charles Gunn’s soul. The young man steadied his nerve against the looming threat and fixed his sight on the vampire’s burning glare. “I ain’t movin’…Cordelia Chase don’t belong to nobody, especially some evil-ass, two-timin’ vampire.”
“Dear God, this is ludicrous! Angel, Lorne is right, we cannot be fighting amongst ourselves. I can only hope that Cordelia has remained asleep and has not had to listen to this disgusting display of over zealous, testosterone driven, pathetic show of ownership. Have you both gone mad!”
Angel began to become more aware of those around him as he mind began to clear. He turned toward the sound of his son’s sniffling cries.
What have I done? What if Cordy did hear all this? No, she must be asleep. Even as upset as she was Cordy would have come out here and kicked my arrogant ass across the room.
Lorne started to reach the whimpering child to his father but stopped when Angel objected with the raise of his hand. “I can’t hold Connor right now. I need you to take care of him.”
“Sure big guy, no problem. Come on little big guy, lets me and you go visit the sandman.”
“Wesley…Gunn…”
“Angel, the last thing Cordelia needs right now is a male presence, any male presence.”
“I know Wes and I’m sorry.”
“I’m not the one you need to be apologizing to.”
“Yea, uh…right…Gunn, I’m…sorry.”
“Just let it go man, we’re done…for now.”
“Angel, Cordelia gave me as much information as she could about the…incident and the location. I suggest you, Gunn and myself concentrate our efforts on preventing the attack from happening. Fred will stay with Cordelia and Loren will of course look after Connor.”
“Fine Wes, but from now on I want to be informed about what’s going on; understood?”
“Angel let’s get through this case before we move on to more difficult situations; shall we?”