Part 16
(Note: Please don’t think anything in this story is me preaching about marriage. This is only a story and the doctors’ opinions are simply a necessary part of it. )
Cordelia glanced over at Angel’s sleeping form as she spoke softly into the phone. Once their wake up call was cancelled, she went over to the computer. She logged in and checked for email. Angel rolled over onto his back. His gentle snoring made her smile.
She may have suffered an attack of the insecurities but she still managed to wear out her vampire. She was rather proud of how exhausted he’d been by the time they’d finally gone to sleep. She returned her attention to the screen. Today was the day they’d hopefully face the big bad.
Dear Cordelia and Angel,
I have notified Mr. Nabbit’s team to be prepared to take over in the event it is merely a human cult. You have the number to reach them. They can be there in a matter of minutes, as can we, should there be darker forces at work.
We will both be tracking you. The laptop transmits a signal we can follow. It has a range of 50 miles. It’s one of Mr. Nabbit’s latest security inventions. It cannot be removed and it cannot be disabled. Should they question your need for it at such an isolated location simply explain the laptop contains confidential company information and you don’t feel comfortable leaving it behind.
There is also a device attached to the Plymouth. I understand that Dr. Altman said he would make the arrangements but do try to drive yourselves. After all, your only weapons are hidden within the back seat. Someone may plant a listening device inside the car so continue to be discreet.
Unfortunately we have no new information for you. We still have nothing further on Dr. Altman. Per your request, we went over his bank records again. He hasn’t written any checks to anything resembling a resort or a club. There aren’t any large cash withdrawals. However you did mention it was for couples only and his wife died three years ago. We have been unable to narrow down the possible rituals. There simply isn’t enough to go on.
I know I’m repeating myself but please be careful. I don’t like the idea of you going into this blind but we have no choice. Call as soon as you can. Don’t try to go it alone.
Wesley
The hairs on the back of her neck pricked up. She looked over at the bed. Brown eyes were watching her. Angry brown eyes. “Morning sleepyhead.”
“I woke up alone.”
“I’m right over here. I didn’t even leave the room.”
“I woke up alone.”
She rolled her eyes at his petulant tone. She ran over and leaped onto the bed. “Better?”
Angel gathered her in his arms. “I like waking up with you in my arms.”
“I can’t help it if your snoring woke me up.”
“I do not snore.”
“Do too”
“Do not”
“Time to get up, you big baby.” She felt him hard against her hip.
“I can do up.”
“Down boy. Go read Wesley’s message. Then if you’re real good, you can join me in the shower.”
Angel nuzzled her neck. “I believe you already told me I was good. If memory serves, you were screaming it.” He planted kisses along her collarbone. He wanted to lose himself in the warmth of her body but she was right. They needed to get up. Today was the day he found out if he got to kill Bob.
She groaned as he rolled off her. She enjoyed the view of his bare ass as he went to read the message. When he sat down on the couch, she saw he was still hard. After a few calming breaths, she headed for the bathroom.
Once Angel finished reading, he shut the computer off. Walking into a situation blind was hardly new for him but he hated putting Cordelia in danger. They hadn’t been able to bring any weapons into the center. There would probably be cameras at the resort as well. If it were merely humans, he could easily protect Cordelia.
If there were demons involved, the weapons in the car would be too far away to be of help. As Wesley pointed out, they had no choice. He pushed his fears down and followed Cordy into the bathroom. He watched her silhouette for a moment before joining her.
Cordelia leaned back against his cool chest. His arms circled her waist. She arched her neck into his mouth.
He trailed kisses up to her ear and whispered, “I need you to be careful. No more alone time with Bob. I want you to stay beside me at all times.”
She considered arguing with him but decided against it. It would be safer if they stuck together. “I promise.”
He turned her to face him. “You’re not going to argue with me?”
“Nope”
“You’re not messing with me, are you?”
“You know I do occasionally agree with you. Now stop wasting time.” Her hand slid down his chest to take him in a firm grip. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to fight a battle you’ve already won?”
***
“This is your final day with us at the Wellington Marriage Center. I’d like to take the opportunity to tell you how delighted my associates and I are with your progress. You have all made great strides in your relationships. As I said in the beginning, we have no miracle solutions here. We’ve done our best to help you open the lines of communication and now it is up to you to keep them open. You have all shown yourselves to be committed to your marriages. All too often these days, people call their lawyers when they hit a rough patch rather than seek help from a qualified professional. You should all be very proud of yourselves.”
Despite her belief that Bob was the bad guy, Cordelia had to admit the program had opened the lines of communication for them. She gave Angel’s knee a squeeze. They definitely have their problems with opening up. She and Angel were experts on bottling emotions, building walls and clinging to denial.
They both suffered from a severe allergy to sharing their problems, their fears and their insecurities. It was going to take a lot of work for them to change. Being forced to answer questions for the sake of the case had helped. Soon they would have to do it on their own.
She had promised not to keep any more secrets from Angel but what constituted a secret. She’d told him about her horse, Keanu but she never told him why her father bought him for her. Was that a secret? Should she tell him that her father bought the horse as a bribe so she wouldn’t tell her mother that she found her father’s secretary with her head buried in his lap?
At the time she didn’t see the harm in accepting since she’d seen the gardener leaving her mother’s bedroom only days before. She never told anyone about their indiscretions. She wasn’t the one screwing around. She stayed out of her parents’ personal lives and they stayed out of hers.
It felt a little surreal to hear herself being praised. What did she know about making a lasting marriage? Her parents’ story had been more of a business acquisition then a fairy tale romance. Her mother had the social standing and her father was new money. If her mother’s father hadn’t needed an influx of capital, her father would never have been considered worthy of his daughter.
Donna had asked what was wrong with her mother but in a way it was her mother that had supported her in the end. When her father could no longer avoid the IRS, a business associate had offered to bail them out in exchange for Cordelia. She was young, beautiful, young woman and the man had thought she’d make a suitable second wife.
He understood the wedding couldn’t take place until after she graduated but graduation had only been a few weeks away. When Cordelia had refused, her father was furious. He tried emotional blackmail but her mother had supported her decision.
Cordelia had spent most of her life believing money was the most important factor in marriage. Even in her most superficial days, she couldn’t go through with it. At the time, it was less about principle then about the fact he was 43, fat and balding. He’d had all the children he wanted with his first wife. He wanted his second to be more of a sex kitten. His first wife would raise his children and his second wife would cater to his needs. This was NOT a life for her.
Most of her friends’ parents had similar marriages as her parents or they were divorced. Xander’s parent were hardly ideal. Willow’s parents were too analytical for love. Buffy had a wonderful mother but her father wasn’t around. Wesley’s parents, though she never met them, weren’t role models either. In fact, Cordelia planned to beat the crap out of Wesley’s father if she ever met him.
Fred’s parents were amazing. She’d never known a loving couple who adored their child. She thought that only happened on TV. As good of a model as they’d be, they lived in Texas. Marriage based on money, Cordelia understood. Marriage based on the children, she understood. Marriage based on love, trust and respect scared the hell out of her.
Angel’s voice startled her.
“We’re very satisfied with the program.”
Cordelia pasted a smile on her face. “Absolutely. Angel and I feel like newlyweds again.”
Bob forced a smile. “I’m so glad. Vanessa? Jarod?”
Angel leaned in to whisper, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just got lost in thought.”
“We’re you thinking about me?”
“I’m gonna go with honesty and say no.”
Angel pouted. “So what were you thinking about?”
“My parents”
“I’m sorry.”
She smiled up at him. “Me too.”
***
“I can’t believe the week is over. It seems like just yesterday George was complaining about missing the game.”
“That was yesterday.” George kissed Donna’s palm.
“You two seem happier.”
“We are. George and I may have our share of problems but we are both committed. A marriage should be forever. Ours will be. I’m sure you both feel the same.”
Cordelia paled. “Of course”
Angel wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Our lives are forever linked and that’s the way they’ll stay if I have any say in it.”
“Powers willing.” Cordelia mumbled under her breath. She pushed her food around her plate. It was strange. She’d felt more comfortable when all the couples were bickering. The praise and the harmony were making her freak. She reminded herself that the case was almost over.
Then Angel would simply be her boyfriend. She can handle the concept of dating. Marriage was something she wanted in theory. It was some far off thing that only lived in her imagination. The actual idea of marriage made her want to hide under her bed.
When they first arrived at the center, it was just pretend. Over the course of the week, it started to feel real. Referring to Angel as her husband felt a little too natural. She needed to get back to reality. She needed to be where she could be madly in love with Angel, fight evil, help the hopeless and be Cordelia Chase.
“Are you alright, Cordy? You look a little pale.”
“Oh..umm…I’m fine. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” This time her smile was genuine and directed at Angel. “Someone kept me awake.”
“I don’t remember hearing you complain.”
Cordy kissed his cheek and whispered, “I needed to conserve my breath for all the screaming you made me do.”
“It was better spent, if you ask me.”
“You should really look into my idea about the chain, Cordy.”
“My husband does look pretty cute chained to his bed.” She noticed George and Donna’s shocked looks. “I’m kidding.” She relaxed once they started laughing until she realized she’d done it again. She referred to Angel as her husband without even blinking. *Is the room spinning?*
***
Jake looked around the room. “This is it. In a couple of hours, you will be leaving us. I must echo Bob’s praise and tell you how proud I am of all of you. Everyone here has opened up and not only toward your spouse but to the group as well. I cannot stress enough how important it is to recognize when a wall starts to form and to work together to tear it down. The walls are inevitable. You are still individuals. You will have experiences independent of each other. You cannot be together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don’t need to be afraid of change. With love, honesty and openness, change will make your bond stronger. Growth can bring you closer together.” He cleared his throat. “OK. I’m done with the sap. I promise.”
Angel shared a laugh with the others without knowing why. He had built many walls around himself. After his tragic romance with Buffy, his walls grew so high he couldn’t even see the top. He should have known when he saw Cordelia smash Dennis’s wall that she could shatter his as well. Now was the time for him to do some breaking. She had her walls too. He needed to be the one to help her tear them down.
When he was evil, he planned to share his eternal life of death, destruction and darkness with Darla. When he first climbed out of the gutter, he hoped to find a place in Buffy’s life. Darla had left him. He had left Buffy. Losing his life with Darla had sent him into a tail spin, though it had more to do with his new soul.
Losing his life with Buffy had set him on a new path, though Doyle was the one to give it direction. There had been times when he longed for simpler times with Darla and there had been times when he longed for the happier times he shared with Buffy.
None of his ups and down, none of his loves or losses and none of his pains and pleasures could have prepared him for Cordelia. She had redefined hope, family, bliss and love for him. He had survived losing Darla and Buffy. He couldn’t even bear the thought of losing Cordelia.
Watching her slip away from him when she was in her vision coma had been a gut-wrenching, nightmarish experience. Nearly losing her to his stupid mistakes had been almost as bad. For the first time in his existence, he wanted to truly share his life with someone. He was ready to let someone in completely. It was a terrifyingly wonderful feeling.
***
Cordelia tossed clothes into her suitcase. When she turned around, Angel pulled them out and folded them.
“I gave Donna my cell number.”
“You did?”
“Yeah” She shrugged. “She asked if we could get together some time and have lunch, maybe go shopping. I thought it might be fun.”
Ring!
Cordelia grabbed the phone. “Hello…we just finished packing…oh..okay…we’ll be there in a few minutes…Bye.”
“Who was that?”
“Bob. He wants to see us to go over the details.”
Angel closed the suitcase. “Let’s go.”
“You can leave that. We’re not actually leaving yet.”
***
“Come in”
“Hi Bob”
“Hello. Have a seat.” Bob poured himself a cup of tea. “Would you care for a cup of tea? We have a lot to go over.”
“Sure”
“As I was telling you yesterday, the resort is very private.” He took a sip. “We’ve spared no expense in luxuries except for communication devices.”
Cordelia sipped her tea. “How far away is it?”
“It’s rather close. I’ll need you to sign some confidentiality forms.”
“You said our first visit is free. Are there any annual dues we should be aware of?” Angel took a sip.
“No. There are no dues. The only expenses you will incur will be on future visits to the resort.”
“Sounds too good to be true.”
Bob smiled. “It does, doesn’t it?”
Cordelia tensed. She was about to speak when her world went dark.
“Cor!” Angel rose from his seat only to sink to the floor unconscious.
Bob went over to his bookcase and pulled a lever. The case opened like a door. Two men stepped out. “Take them to the preparation room.”
“Yes sir”