34: Mount Sinai Memorial Gardens, Northeast Sunnydale
“We found it back at Trinity Baptist Church,” Angel informed Giles. He’d barely allowed the Watcher time to greet them after they pulled up at the curbside just in front of the gated entrance to the Mount Sinai Memorial Gardens.
Giles looked almost giddy… for him, decided Cordelia and turned her attention to Faith who was walking around to her side of the car.
“You two look like hell,” Faith commented. “That was a pretty big shaker, but I’d say you got the worst of it.”
“Pfft! The earthquake was the boring part of the evening,” Cordelia assured her. “I’m pretty sure watching Angel eat French fries would have won out if it hadn’t been for the unscheduled family reunion at the cemetery.”
Faith leaned against the door. “French fries?”
“Vampires?” Giles was asking simultaneously, his concern overshadowing Faith’s interest in Angel’s diet. Considering their appearance, it seemed clear that there had been a fight.
Angel had not planned to get into this now, but he supposed it would have to be done eventually. As Cordelia herself had indicated, he was not going to be able to protect her around the clock. That meant informing the Watcher that, “Spike and Drusilla are back in town.”
Behind his glasses, Giles’ eyes widened a bit, his expression calm, yet serious. “I see. Their timing is as impeccable as ever with our two Slayers busy unraveling the forthcoming events of the prophecy.”
“I don’t think it has anything to do with that,” Angel admitted glancing over at Cordelia. She sat in the passenger seat quietly tugging at her lower lip as if forcing herself not to speak.
Faith was all business when she asked Giles, “What’s so special about these two vamps that has you so uptight? More than usual, anyway.”
Adjusting the duffel bag onto his other shoulder, Giles explained to her that these were not ordinary vampires. “They are of the Order of Aurelius and thus possess the deadliest of pedigrees.”
Angel’s fingers curled into a tighter grip on the steering wheel. “Giles means that they are my responsibility. A long time ago, I made Drusilla. She is my progeny just as Spike is hers.”
“Hope you don’t mind if I stake the kiddies,” Faith cocked her head and gave him a look that promised him she was serious despite her comical turn of phrase. “I’ll do it, you know.”
“Stay away from them, Faith,” warned Angel. “I’ll deal with it. For the moment, I don’t think they’re involved in anything to do with the prophecy.”
Giles preferred not to underestimate those two. Give them an inch and they’d be looking for control of the Hellmouth. “Have you any idea as to their plans? Last time they pieced together the Judge in order to wipe out humanity.”
Angel did not exactly need to remind Giles that he was there at the time. “Drusilla has taken an interest in Cordelia. She saw us together at the cemetery and got the wrong idea. It may be just a jealous fit, but Dru threatened Cordy’s life and made it known that she plans to try again.”
“Dear God,” Giles reacted in horror at the thought of Cordelia becoming a target for the insane vampiress.
Faith fingered the stake that was tucked in her belt loop. “Like I said Angel… if I see ‘em, I stake ‘em. No questions asked.”
“We may need to rethink the team assignments for the duration,” Giles suggested much to Angel’s irritation. “I’d feel better if Buffy or Faith were out with the two of you.”
“Cor, maybe you should just stay at home,” Faith suggested and it was the first thing out of her mouth tonight that Angel actually agreed with. He seconded it drawing an immediate response from Cordelia.
“No way!” Cordelia sent them both nasty looks. Sounding vexed, she told Faith, “You’re supposed to be on my side.” Then turning back to Angel, “And you… you made me a promise today and you’re keeping it.”
Puzzled for a moment, Angel realized she meant the training sessions. That was good for learning long-term defensive skills, but it was not going to save her life if Drusilla attacked again tomorrow. “I haven’t forgotten,” he told her leaving Faith and Giles to send each other questioning looks and answering shrugs as they stood by the car.
“I’d feel safer if I was with you,” Cordy told him bluntly. “Maybe they can’t get into the house, but I don’t want them hanging around, either.”
Angel let go of the steering wheel to squeeze her hand, “You know I’ll take care of you, Cordy. Home is the safest place for you while you sleep. Otherwise, you can stick with me or with Faith if I can’t be there. Buffy will be around during the school day and I’m sure Giles will keep an eye out.”
“Certainly,” Giles stated although somewhat distractedly as he stared down at the tender way Angel was holding Cordelia’s hand. They seemed lost in each other’s eyes. If that was any indication of their interaction at Trinity Cemetery, it was no wonder Drusilla got the wrong idea. Assuming that it was wrong in the first place, he shuddered at the notion.
Giles had been relieved at the news that Buffy and Angel had broken off their romantic ties, though Angel’s continued presence had suggested he was not quite willing to close that chapter of their relationship. No matter how many times the calm, rational part of his mind told him that Angel was a different person as a souled being in comparison to the purely evil intellect responsible for Jenny’s death, in his heart Giles had never truly believed it.
There were dangers to be found in any relationship Angel forged, but this unlikely partnership with Cordelia Chase suddenly held possibilities that Giles had never even considered.
Removing his glasses, Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, holding tight for a few seconds to release the tension building there. He had enough problems to deal with tonight. Cursed vampires and crazed ones were not his top priority. “Angel, I suggest you escort Cordelia home. We’ll deal with future assignments and your concerns for her safety tomorrow. In the meantime, Faith and I will collect Buffy and the others to begin a study of the obelisk.”
Cordelia slipped her hand out of Angel’s grasp and tucked it into a cross-armed position. She saw Faith backing away from the edge of the car while holding a hand to her ear with the universal signal for ‘phone me’.
“The quake opened up a crevasse in the middle of the cemetery,” Angel was busy informing Giles about the details of their find when Cordelia started to pay them attention. “You’ll need some digging equipment and some ropes if you want to elevate it. It’s lodged at an angle in the ground, so only two of its sides are visible.”