Part 4
“Look man for way too long now you’ve been doing your rendition of it’s all about me and I for one am ready to change the music around here.”
“No one is forcing you to be here.”
“You’d like that wouldn’t you? Get me out of the way so you can muscle in on the girl. That ain’t gonna happen, so give it up.”
“Gunn, Angel, is it really asking too much that I enjoy my morning tea in a battle free zone?”
“Sorry English. It’s just that the day’s barely started and the vamp’s already itchin’ to get at Barbie. I was just giving him some advice…back off.”
“Damn it Gunn all I asked was if Cordy was here yet. How the hell does that constitute a threat?”
“And I told you…”
“Both of you please…Angel; join me for a cup of tea?”
“Hah, now you’re gonna get it.”
“Gunn I believe if you check your messages you’ll find that you’re running late.”
“Late for what?”
“Check your messages. Angel?”
“I’m on it English.”
“I’ll grab my cup and meet you in your office.”
***
“So Angel, how are things?”
“Fine.”
“Really, well that’s a load off.”
The two men stared across the large, wooden desk. Papers neatly squared in methodical stacks, the accessories minimal but carefully selected and meticulously aligned at a right angle characterized the man that now owned it. With a silent sigh, Angel masked the discontent and more than slight resentment at his current position as subordinate.
“Look Wes, I know where this is headed so let’s just get it out in the open. I’m not going off the deep end again and I’m not firing anyone.”
“Angel let’s try to prevent this conversation from taking the wrong direction. I would prefer to put an end to yours and Gunn’s macho contests without replacing it with ours.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. Whether the agency operates from this location or another, the agency will continue. Angel Investigations belongs to all of us but that doesn’t imply its existence is dependent on any particular individual’s participation.”
Point delivered and received, Angel acknowledged the current leader’s reminder that the mission and their small firm had continued with little interruption during his absences.
“Wes, I wasn’t trying to take charge. I just wanted to assure you that you guys don’t have to worry about me. I’m not going anywhere and I’m not going to ask anyone to leave.”
“That’s good to hear but it doesn’t change the reality of our present situation. You cannot threaten your coworkers regardless of your reasons. Should you ever do that again Angel we will be forced to relocate. None of us are willing to come here everyday having to worry about your current mood.”
“Wes I think your attitude is a bit discriminate.”
“Really; how so?”
“I know I shouldn’t have threatened Gunn like that but it wasn’t the result of my current mood as you put it. I had just watched Cordy experience a very terrifying reaction to the visions and then find out you had known about it but neither of you told me.”
“Angel I explained to you last night that we had not informed anyone of these new developments. It is Cordelia’s right not to disclose certain personal information and her decision did not put anyone’s safety in jeopardy.”
“That’s not the point Wes and you know it. Nothing is like it used to be. There was a time Cordy would never have kept something like that from me but now I know less about what’s going on in her life than her damn manicurist.”
“Angel, you cannot force Cordelia to go back to the way things once were between the two of you. I believe you and Cordelia were on the road to reconciliation until Darla arrived…carrying your child. Possibly the deceit you had stooped to, the lies you told in order to gain our forgiveness and trust may have permanently closed that road for Cordelia. Perhaps you need to accept that your behavior, that the decisions you willingly made have destroyed any relationships that existed before. Perhaps Angel, your time would be better spent building new relationships instead of complaining that you can’t return to what you once had.”
The challenge had been issued and it hovered like a winged predator waiting to strike. Angel quietly accepted genuinely taken aback that the issuer had been Wesley and not him. His relinquish of title had been symbolic at best and he had never doubted that in time he would reclaim it.
The discovery of Darla’s healthy survival coupled with the exposure of their licentious reunion gave cause to postpone any attempt to retrieve his surrendered leadership. Angel inwardly admitted his respect for Wesley’s ability to command might have been upped a notch or two but waited for the next few minutes to sway that opinion one way or the other.
“What the hell do you think I’ve been doing Wes? For the last twelve months, I have done everything I could to regain your trust and be accepted back into the family I walked away from. What do you people want from me? If I burn in hell’s fire for another couple hundred years will that be enough?”
Whether purposely delivered or mistakenly perceived the metaphorical challenge had been countered. Wesley watched in silence as Angle shot to his feet, his tense movement forcing the chair back; its metal legs scraped across the already blemished floor. The loud clack of his heels hitting against the wood shuttled through the air as he marked off his side of the room in a jerky pace. With a barely noticed hitch of breath Wesley responded, his voice clear and decisive.
“No Angel you haven’t. The truth of this pathetic situation we find ourselves in is that had Darla’s arrival not exposed your dishonesty you would have lured that innocent girl into trusting you and believing in you again under the guise of lies and deceit. The truth Angel is that for the past twelve months you have carefully presented the perfect persona that you perceived we needed to witness. You have treaded lightly, you have spoken softly and you have dallied in the day to day pleasantries that are a normal occurrence in the lives of us humans…”
His interruption a gesture of purpose, Wesley slowly rose from his chair bending his tall, lanky form to rest his closed fists against the surface of the desk. Having gained the reluctant attention of the now motionless listener he continued.
“…but you have yet to invest yourself in any real commitment that is essential for building meaningful relationships. Now sit down and let us continue this discussion as the civilized beings that we both are.”
Each man squared his shoulders granting a slight glance of respect and acceptance to the other before submitting to the civilized gesture of a seated discussion.
At this moment, Angel hated Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. He wanted to feel the man’s bones crush under his iron grip, wanted to smell the blood as it poured from his broken body. All because this man had challenged him with the undeniable truth and he had no recourse except full disclosure.
“There’s a reason for that…I don’t know how. Before, Cordy would always tell me what to do and whether I wanted to or not I would eventually do what she said and then everything would be OK. I don’t know how to do this without her and I’m stuck in limbo. I can’t get her back if I don’t know what to do and until I get her back, she won’t tell me what to do. I need her to tell me what to do. I need her back, I need all of you back. Tell me what you think I should do.”
Now Wesley found himself in a dilemma he wasn’t prepared for. Angel had reached out to him asking for help. Although surprised by the request he wanted to help the man sitting across from him but wasn’t confident he possessed the wisdom such an endeavor would require.
“Honestly Angel I’m not sure I’m the best person to advise you on this. Just as the case with you, my experience with true friendship didn’t occur until I arrived in LA. The only upper hand I have on you right now is that I have been fortunate enough to realize the importance of the friendships I have and therefore am less likely to do anything that will jeopardize those relationships.”
“Gees, thanks for all the help Wes.”
“Angel the only advice I can give you is to be honest with us. No one resents that you have a son and most certainly, no one regrets Connor is here. The shock of Connor’s birth didn’t destroy the progress we had made; it was realizing you had deceived us into believing Darla no longer existed.”
“I know Wes but I can’t undo what’s already done.”
“No you can’t. All you can do is move forward. I believe Angel you will find that all of us are ready to make that move with you. I’ll talk to Gunn about his over protectiveness for Cordelia. Since losing Alonna, Cordelia has filled a rather large void in his life. He doesn’t mean to be so hard on you Angel, it’s just that he worries he could lose another sister.”
“I can understand that. Wes, will you a least tell me how Cordy is? You did talk to her last night; didn’t you?”
“Yes I did and she’s fine Angel. When Cordelia arrives I’ll discuss with her your desire to assist with her new demon skills.”
“Thanks, I’d really like to help. Wes maybe now would be a good time to discuss the scroll you’ve been interpreting about Connor.”
“Ah yes, the scroll. Well Angel these things take time and with the obvious threats to Connor’s existence it’s difficult to determine who can be trusted with helping interpret the text.”
“I thought you were contacting Rupert Giles. When I was in Sunnydale Buffy didn’t know anything about Giles helping you with the scroll. Haven’t you called him?”
“Not exactly, well…no. You see Angel, Rupert’s close relationship with Buffy Summers; his personal ties to The Slayer make me hesitant to involve him.”
“Why Wes? Giles would never do anything to hurt Connor and I’ve told Buffy everything.”
“I see and may I ask how she took the news of you and Darla having a child?”
“She was shocked of course but she handled it OK I guess. It’s not like her reaction could change anything.”
“Maybe, maybe not. That is one of the hesitations I have had about involving Rupert, which I assumed would lead to Buffy’s involvement. From what I know about your time in Sunnydale, you and Buffy were quite immersed in the belief that you were fated to be together and the text I have interpreted so far clearly does not support that belief.”
Is that all I will ever be to these people; Buffy’s ill-fated lover? I don’t want my life to be remembered as nothing more than The Slayer’s tragic love.
“That might have been true at one time. Maybe I did cling to the whole star-crossed lovers or destined to be ill-fated lovers for eternity but that’s all I had then. It’s not like that now. I don’t want to be with someone because it was foretold. I don’t need that…not anymore.”
Hmmm. That’s surprising to say the least. “Angel we still have the threat of Holtz. We cannot be sure why he or Wolfram and Hart have granted this unexpected reprieve. Either or both could be waiting for us to let our guard down.”
“You’re right Wes. I never relax where Connor or his safety is concerned. I’m always worried that I’ll fail him, that I’ll lose my son.”
“I can assure you Angel we will do everything in our power to help you make sure that never happens. Let me have a little more time with the scroll. I just want to be certain that anyone involved can be trusted.”
“Sure Wes and thanks.”
“All and all I would say our talk went quite well. Wouldn’t you agree? All right then, I believe I’m in need of another cup of tea. Join me in the kitchen?”
“No, I need to check on Connor, and Wes, it was a good talk; a talk we should have had a long time ago.”
“Most definitely.”
Angel stood from his chair and headed for the door glad for the positive direction their long overdue talk had moved at least one relationship. Now if he could just accomplish the same with Cordelia. He was confident that an automatic fix for his scarred friendship with Gunn would be mending his relationship with their girl but Angel didn’t dare allow himself to believe any talks with Cordelia would be so easy.
Angel leaned against the doorframe contemplating the use of Wesley’s influence with Cordelia to aid his cause. “Wes, I do want to help Cordy. I know what she’s going through, kind of been there myself for the last two hundred and fifty years.”
“Indeed. I’ll discuss it with her Angel. Cordelia and I have been working with various meditation techniques to help her concentration during the visions. We don’t seem to be making much progress, perhaps you might assist us. I’m sure you have a few tricks up your sleeve for maintaining control over the more unappealing demon attributes.”
“Yea, I do have a few tricks that work. Tai Chi is an exercise I’ve used for a long time. It’s good for calming the anger as well as other tension causing situations.”
“Ah yes, Tai Chi, we have tried that actually; though not successfully.”
“Maybe you’re doing it wrong.” A surge of hope ran through him that he hadn’t felt in a long time. If Wesley could convince her, Angel knew he was the most qualified to help Cordelia deal with her new demon aspects. The fact that they would need to spend time together up close and personal was merely a bonus. A bonus he had not maneuvered into happening, well very little anyway.
“Perhaps, it is rather new to me as well and concentration is not Cordelia’s strong point. She does succumb to boredom quite easily and then there’s the…well she…she giggles.”
“Giggles? Why would she giggle?”
“She says it…tickles. I watched the video of a couple performing Tai Chi. I’m quite certain I followed their illustrations correctly and there was no tickling or giggling from the couple on the video.”
“Wes there are different methods of Tai Chi. Some are just a form of meditation but others are for couples who want to connect on a more spiritual level so they can enhance other areas of their relationship. Is that the kind of Tai Chi you used with Cordy?”
“Well I…of course…oh my this is not good.”
“Relax Wes, it’s no big deal. I’m sure Cordy will know it was an honest mistake. She’ll probably think it’s funny.”
“No that’s not the problem. I…there is someone that offered to help, he’s…”
“You can say his name Wes. It’s Jack Stone, isn’t it?” Angel struggled not to choke on the man’s name as he assured Wesley. “It’s OK Wes; I know this guy is more than just a business acquaintance.”
“No Angel, you don’t understand. I left the video with Cordelia and suggested she and Jack perform the…you see he has some experience with Tai Chi and I thought he would be more helpful in training Cordelia to perform…”
“You told Cordy to perform an intimacy enhancing technique with Jack Stone? You gave them a video that illustrated the movements they were to perform together? Are you insane?”
“Angel you just said it wasn’t a big deal.”
“That’s when she was doing it with you…and giggling!”
Angel was pacing again but this time Wesley had no intentions of stopping it. The cause of this agitated pacing was from an entirely different source and it was best to allow the vampire to work off some of that agitation.
“Right. I’ll call her.”
“Now Wes, call her now.”
“Right, I’ll call her now…It’s ringing…I’m getting her voice mail but nothing to worry about. I’ll leave her a message. It’s her cell phone so I’m sure she has it with her wherever she is or whatever she… may be doing.
‘Cordelia, Wesley here, it is very important I speak with you immediately, very important and I cannot stress this enough, do not participate in any Tai Chi until after we have discussed it.’
“There now Angel, everything will be fine. I’m sure we will hear from Cordelia any minute now.”
“And if we don’t?”
“We will Angel and need I remind you that the sun is up; and even if it wasn’t it wouldn’t be prudent for you to go tracking Cordelia around the city. I’m sure she’s fine Angel. Cordelia is quite capable of taking care of herself in personal situations.”
“I’m sure she is Wes, so while we’re waiting to find out if you’ve sent Cordy off to learn the art of seduction I’m going to check on Connor and I need to smooth things over with Fred anyway. I think last night’s showdown between Gunn and me upset her.”
“Good idea Angel. Fred has come a long way recovering from her ordeal in Pylea and we wouldn’t want anything to impede further progress. Very well then, if there’s nothing else I’ll just fetch my tea.”
“No I’m going upstairs; just let me know when you hear from Cordy.”
***
Angel scented the air for Fred as soon as he cleared Wesley’s office. Slowing his stride across the lobby, he listened for the rhythm of her heartbeat. The faint sound led him up the stairs toward his own suite. “Hey, I didn’t know you were watching Connor, I thought Lorne was with him.”
“He had to check on some stuff about the club. I think he’s in his room making some calls.”
“Ah, speaking of calls I was wondering if you could do me a favor.”
“Sure Angel; what do you need me to do?”
“Call Cordy’s apartment.”
“Umm, OK. Do you want me to leave her a message?”
“Not if she’s home.”
“Well she’s not so what do you want me to tell her in the message?”
“Fred if you already know Cordy’s not home there’s no reason to call. Do you know where she is?”
“Yea.”
“Ah…Fred?”
“Oh, you want me to tell you where she is.”
“Yea, that would be good.”
“Well it’s almost ten so she’s probably still at the gym.”
“Gym? Why would Cordy be at the gym?”
“She works out with Ja…ah…people. That’s it, she works out with people…at the gym.”
“Oh, OK. So she goes to the gym to work out with people.”
A gym is a public place. Not much Mr. I’m Too Sexy For My Shirt can do at the gym. Cordy wouldn’t put up with him putting any moves on her in public. This is OK. I need to calm down. Fred’s getting nervous again.
“Ah Fred, look I just wanted to apologize if the disagreement Gunn and I had last night upset you. I would never…” Angel’s head jerked toward the sweet aroma drifting through to open doorway. “…Cordy’s here.”
The broad, solid form became a blurry swish and Fred wondered if Angel intended to assure her he would never harm Gunn or hoped she wouldn’t be upset if he did yank the young man’s spine out.
***
The anger radiated from Cordelia like a lighthouse beacon run amok and the feared Queen C fury was directed at its intended target.
OH MY.
“Good morning Wesley. Got…Your…Message.”
“Oh my.”
“Oh my is right. What the hell were you thinking?”
“Well evidently I wasn’t. Perhaps we should discuss this in the office.”
“Why discuss it behind closed doors? It’s not like there’s anyone left that doesn’t know about my personal life or lack of. Oh goodie, Angel’s here; the more the merrier I always say. Fred, Lorne, come join us so you can hear all about wacky Cordy’s latest adventure and Lorne, do bring the baby; we wouldn’t want Connor to miss out on the embarrassment that is my life.”
“Cordelia what happened, didn’t you get my message?”
“Yea I got it and a fat lot of good it did me. Just so you’ll know Einstein, you need to tell me not to do something… Before…I…Do…It.”
“Before…oh my…Cordelia you didn’t…”
“Didn’t what; make a fool of myself in front of Jack and every scuz-bucket in the gym this morning?”
“In the gym, why were you in the gym Barbie and what are you guys talkin’ about? English what did you do?”
“Oh great Gunn you’re here, now no one will be left out of the horror that was my morning and because Gunn, at the time it seemed like a good idea to exercise the muscles after exercising the brain. Pfftt, yea right.” With not so much as a smidgen of interruption in her on-going assault, Cordelia went from Wesley to Gunn and was now whipping her death glare back to Wesley. “Have you any idea how humiliated I was? I was broadcasting that smut how-to on a fifty-two inch screen for everyone to see and me, little ole clueless Cordy, I was totally oblivious to the deer caught in the headlights panic plastered on Jack’s face.”
“Oh Cordelia, what did you do?”
“What did I do you ask? Let me tell you what I did. I shoved this inexperienced foot deeper and deeper into this even more inexperienced mouth.” Her index finger jerked to and fro pointing from foot to face. “I think the highlight of my morning was when I reminded Jack in front of everyone that I had been a cheerleader in high school and I was VERY BENDY. Thank God, the man had the good sense to drag my ass out of there. Jesus freakin’ Christ, I have never been so humiliated in my life.”
“Oh my. Oh Cordelia, I am so, so very sorry.”
“You should be…” She halted her current rant noticing the too happy look on Angel’s face. To Cordelia he looked like the little boy on Christmas morning finding his special gift from Santa under the tree. “…and what the hell are you grinning at?”
“Huh? Me? No I’m not grinning.” Busted. Angel panicked, his face displaying a dorky grin. Lost in his reverie over Cordelia’s morning with Stone going even worse than he had hoped, his emotions had been much too easy to read and now Angel struggled with a believable explanation. “I’m just glad you’re OK.”
“OK! The grinning idiot is glad I’m OK. Have you heard anything I’ve said? Have you ever listened to a damn thing I’ve said?”
Oh, I listened sweetheart. I listened to you and Jack Stone taking a big step backwards from anything close to intimacy in the near future.
“Never mind. It happened, it’s over and I never want to talk about it again. So everybody just go, go find something to do that doesn’t involve being in my personal space.” Her arms flayed out from her body and above her head. “GO!” Jesus freakin’ Christ, I gave up stardom for this crap?
***
Angel walked over to Lorne reaching out for his son. His face, now a more placid mold, showed nothing more than his heartfelt love for his son. The meager shield was a useless tool against the anagogic demon and the mossy green face held a smile of its own as he lifted the gurgling bundle to his father.
Content for the moment, Angel carried his son up the stairs. Crisis averted, he now had time to suggest himself to Cordelia as the better trainer. His self-inflicted fall from grace had allowed Jack Stone to take the temporary role as her champion. His ill-timed sabbatical had given the man opportunity to earn her friendship and his revealed fiasco with Darla had opened the way for something a little more intimate. One more slip up and Jack Stone would be receiving his invitation as Cordelia’s lover. Angel cringed as the thought wretched through his gut and silently vowed there would be no more mistakes.
His love for Cordelia was different from anything he had ever known before. It was so much more than the savage lust he felt for Darla during their reign of terror. He had clung to the unfulfilling romance with Buffy believing it was meant to be but now he knew such a tragic farce would not be his destiny. His future with Cordelia was as natural as the changing seasons. The savage lust was there but it was fueled by his love and need for this woman and there was no preordained destiny for them. They were simply two people who fell in love.
***
“So Professor, you and the big guy have a good talk this morning?”
“Yes we did Lorne and how did you know about our talk?”
“Vibes man. You two had some colorful vibes pulsating through the door and skittering around the lobby.”
“Yes well, there were a lot of things said, things that have needed to be said for a long time but I believe our discussion ended on a positive note.”
“Positive’s always good, that’s what I always say. Tell me Doc, would this positive note include you telling Angel what you discovered in the scroll?”
“I’m still interpreting the text and I don’t want to jump to any conclusions.”
“A jumping Mexican Bean you ain’t; you’re dodging.”
“Lorne it would be unwise to disclose only partially translated information. Doing so would only lead to questions and concerns that wouldn’t have answers. It’s better for me to continue my research so that all the text can be fully understood rather than divulging information we’re not yet sure of.”
“You may be right Professor but I’m a curious cat and can’t help but be quizzical. Maybe you’re hoping to discover facts that will disprove what you already know to be true. Like say the identity of Connor’s mother.”
“We already know the identity of the child’s mother. We didn’t need the scroll to determine that Darla gave birth to Angel’s child.”
“But the description in the scroll isn’t Darla. You know who that fate was meant for; you just don’t want it to be true.”
“It isn’t true Lorne; Darla gave us proof of that so what I want or don’t want is irrelevant.”
“You can’t keep this from them you know.”
“I can for now…and Lorne…if you tell her, she will leave. I’m not referring to the hotel, she will leave LA.”
“You don’t know that and it’s not for you to decide.”
Wesley couldn’t recall Lorne getting so personally involved before. Any other time the anagogic demon was content to simply present his reading and let the recipient take it from there. Wesley stopped the concentrated preparation of his tea and looked at the man for the first time since the start of their discussion noting that his suit was an eerie match to his skin. They weren’t friends exactly but circumstances had moved them beyond mere acquaintances.
“Is it for you to decide? Lorne, I know that you are Angel’s friend and you feel a certain loyalty to him. I understand that, past transgressions aside I consider him a friend as well, but if you tell him, he will go to her and then whatever truths remain to be revealed won’t matter. Right now Angel is desperate to rebuild his relationship with Cordelia and may try to use this information to establish a bond between them. I can assure you Lorne, Cordelia will not respond favorably to such an act.”
“They already share a bond as warrior and seer. Why does the possibility of those two being together frighten you so or is it that you don’t want it to work out that way?”
The languid motion of the spoon inside the cup of now tepid tea stopped mid stir. The green face, red horn demon had just suggested he might be inclined to manipulate the scroll’s translation to achieve his preferred outcome. The utensil slapped against the chrome countertop with a clanking rattle that shimmied across the cold metal.
“Lorne if that was my dilemma I could simply sit back and let Angel do what he does best; destroy any good relationship he has in his life. Angel doesn’t need my assistance to accomplish that task. We have proof of that fact also.” Retorted Wesley.
“You’re right Lorne, I have translated the description of the person prophesized to be Connor’s mother but the purpose of the scroll was to prophesize the child’s destiny. His parents were destined to bear the burden of preparing him for that future and my fear is that someone or something has the power to change events that were prophesied over five hundred years ago. Either that or the only strategy required to dupe Angel is putting his evil sire in front of him. Wolfram and Hart resurrected Darla once and I am not aware of any force that can prevent them from doing it again should they choose to. Until I have all the facts, I will not expose the child or Cordelia and hope that Angel will have the commitment required to protect them. Now if you will excuse me, I have a lot of reading and evidently very little time to do it.”
Well guess the big guy’s not the only one you need to be careful not to get his panties in a bunch.