Season of Solace. 7

7:     Revello Drive, Central Sunnydale

Resurrecting an old habit, Angel followed along from the shadows as Buffy made her way down from her house in the direction of the high school. She walked at a brisk pace aware of everything around her except him. That was easy enough to change. That is, if he had a clue what to say to her.

The opportunity to speak to Buffy without the ever-present entourage of Scoobies was a rarity. Each day seemed to widen the gap between them. Angel now cursed himself for a fool, grinding up the bitter pill of guilt and longing that seemed to be eternally lodged in his throat. Still, he followed.

Only the times when he caught her staring gave him any hope of reconciliation. It was impossible to turn back the clock and start over again. No words could ever make up for Angelus’ actions. Even if they could, he did not know how to ask for forgiveness and was certain that he did not deserve it.

No profound solution presented itself before Buffy rounded the last corner leading up to the school. Angel caught sight of Willow’s red hair shining under the street light ahead just before Buffy called out her name, waved, and ran to catch up. The boy was there, too. Even now, Xander and Willow remained joined at the hip.

Too much history had passed between them to let their indiscretion ruin their friendship. Angel figured there might be a lesson in that if he sat down to think about it for a while. Plenty of time for contemplation back at the mansion where it was dark and quiet, and without distractions, he figured.

Faith was lounging on the top step, energetically bounding up from her seat when the others appeared. They all moved indoors with Angel trailing behind unseen at a short distance. When he opened the library doors, he saw Rupert Giles unlocking the weapon’s cabinet in preparation for tonight’s patrol.

The hinge on the library door squeaked as it swung shut, instantly alerting the slayers to his presence. Angel had eyes only for Buffy. She stared back like a doe trapped by a predator. He crossed the room without a word, tilted her chin and bent down to press his lips to hers.

He tried not to look smug at her reaction caught somewhere between stirring passion and anger. Sometimes words just got in the way of making your point.

Sputtering for control as Angel casually strolled over, leaning against the balustrade, Buffy recovered enough to say, “Good, everyone’s here.”

Angel’s attention turned to the empty steps at his side; his gaze flicking around the room just to confirm the fact that one member of their team was still missing. Though chronically late, Cordelia always managed to show up. It sounded like Buffy was already counting her out.

“What about Cordelia?” A twinge irritation on her behalf was a curious surprise.

“Not my problem,” Buffy turned away to rummage through a duffel bag full of supplies. “If she really wanted to patrol with us, she would be here instead of breaking in a new boyfriend.”

Looking gut-punched by the news, Xander muttered, “ A new what?”

Buffy gasped in horror at having blurted it out like that. “God, I’m sorry, Xan. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he muttered, but his eyes told a different story. Even Angel felt a little sorry for the kid.

Just then, Cordelia breezed through the door dressed in a slinky top, very short skirt and heeled sandals, her long hair wind-blown and curling around her face. “What a craptastic day! But I’m here now. Ooh, pointy weapons. Which one is mine?”

Buffy could not believe it. Exactly what was it about Cordelia that shifted the world axis to revolve around her? Xander’s heart was crumbling into little pieces and she had the nerve to waltz in, late as usual, looking like she had come straight from a date with her mystery man.

Grabbing the nearest stake, Buffy shoved it into her hand. “Take this.”

Trying to get them focused on the mission at hand, Giles stepped forward to discuss options for patrol. “As you all are aware, we are not dealing with a simple warning of mal intent. The scroll found by the Watchers Council is but one piece of a much more intricate prophecy.”

Quieting down they turned their attention his way eyes following as he circled the room. “Its origins are so old that some of what is written into the scroll appears as familiar as folktales. Other parts translate as an ancient riddle.”

“Two demons walk into a bar…,” quipped Xander nudging Willow with an elbow. He knew from their recent research that this situation was not to be taken lightly, but he could not resist the chance to ease the tension tightening his shoulders. He zipped his mouth upon receiving the watcher’s disapproving stare and tossed the proverbial key over his shoulder.

Taking up a cross bow and a small quiver of bolts, Giles swung them onto his shoulder. “We are to expect several precursor events. Natural phenomena. Human sacrifice. Signs intended to harbinger the last days of freedom on Earth.”

“A new Big Bad is coming to town,” nodded Buffy matter-of-factly as she shifted focus to the task at hand. “Here we go again.”

Giles pursed his lips for a moment as he realized the situation was worse that any Buffy had faced thus far. “Buffy, to use your words, the demon threatening our world is one those other ‘Big Bads’ worship as a god. If we fail to note or intercept the signs laid out in the prophecy, it will be impossible to determine the exact time and location of the final event. We must prevent it at all costs.”

“We’re up against a god and all I get is this crummy stake?” Cordelia complained with a loud, “Pfft!” and moved over to look at the other options.

Unfortunately, considering her role as Bait Girl, it was hard to hide anything other than a stake on her person. She reached for a small dagger with a bronze sheath and considered having to use it. Vampires conveniently turned into clouds of dust when you killed them, but other things had the nasty habit of bleeding.

She was about to put it down when Angel reached in to pull it out of her hand. He stood just behind her, leaning close enough that his cheek brushed her hair as he took the dagger away. “Stick with what you know.”

“Hey, grabby hands, that was mine.” Cordelia’s irritated gaze trailed after him as he stepped back over to his spot in Buffy’s shadow only to connect with the slayer herself.

Buffy really did not want to have to put up with Cordelia tonight. Or any night, for that matter, but for some strange reason she was determined to be here. Pushy ex-cheerleaders had no business taking part in nightly patrol if it was not taken seriously. She idly wondered what it would take to convince her not to bother.

“We have only the clues in the prophecy to guide us,” Giles cut in on Buffy’s thoughts. “Each sign is unique. Some will be nothing more than a visual key, others substantive. Starting tonight over the next few weeks, during the hours immediately before and after the transition of the moon, we must be vigilant in our observations.”

Willow gulped, “Sounds like sleep is a no-go anytime soon.”

Xander squeezed her shoulder, “It’ll be okay, Will. We can nap during first period. Mrs. Tolliver usually nods off in the middle of her lecture anyway.”

“Easy for you to say,” Cordelia huffed, trying to ignore the friendly hug, “I’ve got Eagle-eyed Everson in my drama class. It’s all about focus, concentration and emoting”

“So tell her you were emoting with your eyes closed,” Xander shrugged.

“This may be difficult,” Giles agreed, “but it is necessary to cover as much ground as possible. We cannot afford to miss any of the signs. They may provide further clues.”

Buffy understood what he was getting at. “Teams?”

“Teams,” he confirmed with a nod.

“I’ll take GQ,” Faith volunteered all too quickly, her cheeks dimpling in amusement as she grabbed another opportunity to vex Buffy about her questionably ex-boyfriend, “if you really don’t want him anymore, B.”

Only the fact that Angel made no visible reaction kept Buffy from blowing her top. Just how Faith had gotten wind of her decision to break up with Angel took only a short leap of the imagination. Cordelia. Those two were hardly friendly, and rarely spoke a word to each other, yet somehow Cor managed to pass on the news.

While Xander was busily making a wisecrack, Willow sent Buffy a look of hurt and confusion when she realized that Buffy had kept something so important from her. Sucking in a deep breath, Buffy promised details, “Later.”

Giles did not bother trying to figure out what they were talking about. He was still trying to make his point. “Actually, Faith, I’d like you to accompany me. We can work on some of those drills we discussed.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” Faith grabbed her jeans jacket from the banister and put it on. “I’m ready to kick some ass whenever you are.”

“Er, yes, but I think the ass kicking will come a bit later,” he pursed his lips with a wry smile. “Cordelia and Xander can also join our group.”

That left Angel and Willow, Buffy realized. That meant that Willow would be the only one there to distract her from Angel. It would also be impossible to talk to her best friend about breaking up with him if he was right there.

“We should try something a little different,” Buffy tried to sound casual about it. “After all, you said we should cover more ground. Why not split into three teams instead of two.”

Giles did not take long to agree. “We have three strong fighters here. One per group. Excellent idea, Buffy.”

She beamed a wide grin at her success. It faded a little when she caught the nearly imperceptible change in Angel’s expression, but she was resolved to avoid any situation that threw them together. It was the only way to avoid temptation.

Besides, if she was right about this, Cordelia would whirl herself into a tizzy and quit before the night was over. “Angel and Cordelia can team up. I’ll take Willow and Xander.”

“What?” Clearly thinking about her encounter with Angelus, she gasped in horror. “Me and him? He’s safe enough here in the library, but the two of us out there… in the dark?”

A glance at Angel suggested he was not too thrilled with the idea himself, but he said nothing. Buffy could tell that he was less mad at Cordelia’s comment than he was at her for suggesting they split up their patrol in the first place.

“Better than Angel and Xander,” shrugged Buffy, drawing immediate scowls from both of them. “See what I mean? Unless you really want to be teamed up with me.”

“Oh.” Cordelia obviously had not thought about that one.

Angel suddenly grasped Buffy’s elbow leading her toward a far corner of the library where the others could not easily overhear.

Demanding softly, “What is this?” he dropped his hold after whirling her to face him.

Buffy stared at the floor, the ceiling, her fingernails, gaze darting from place to place in order to avoid his eyes. They read her too easily, so she admitted the truth, or at least part of it. “I don’t want to patrol with Cordelia.”

“You’re the only one who suggested it,” he pointed out.

“That’s what’ll happen if you don’t agree to team up with her,” she said. “I don’t think Cor and Xander should patrol together right now. It’s just asking for trouble.”

“Then let her go with Giles and Faith. I’ll be more effective on my own.”

Well, that would not get the job done, Buffy realized, as a plan started forming. Faith and Cordelia might not be buddies, but they obviously got along enough to share a secret—hers. Cor might say anything if she really had the time to gossip.

Shaking her head, “Not a good idea,” she explained. “Giles has a hard enough time controlling Faith without the added pressure of Cordelia tagging along.”

“I know that Cordelia has her moments, but is she really so difficult?” Angel asked. He obviously had not had enough firsthand experience to understand what the real Cordelia Chase was like. “Surely a slayer should be able to able to handle her.”

“Think it’s so easy?”

Angel glanced back at Cordelia who stood cross-armed, tapping her toe, waiting for them to make a decision. “Easy enough.”

“Huh. You haven’t got a clue. All you’ve seen is Cordelia-Lite, the version that used to fawn over you.” Buffy suddenly realized that her words were hardly convincing him to take her along. “Look, Angel, the truth is that I don’t think she can handle it. Not to mention the fact that she is not really one of us. She should never have come back after dumping Xander.”

Angel rubbed a hand across his face as understanding hit. “You knew Cordelia would have a problem patrolling with me. You’re setting her up to quit.”

“So what if I am?” Not denying it, she shrugged one shoulder. “It’s for her own good.”

“What if you’re underestimating her?”

Buffy pressed her lips together, trying not to look smug. “No, I don’t think so.”

If things worked out, Cordelia would call it quits. If it didn’t, the match would keep Angel from shadowing her every move. It hurt to be apart, but every time they were in the same room, Buffy wanted to do wild things with that gorgeous body.

That could not happen. It wasn’t fair.

“You’re certain this is what you want?” Angel offered her one more out only to get a brief nod before she walked back to the main group.

Yes, teaming them together was ingenious, Buffy decided, giving herself kudos for the plan. Cordelia would learn to stick with her own crowd. As for Angel, there was a lesson in it for him, too. She laughed inside at the thought of those two on patrol together. If he thought he had a handle on Cordelia Chase, he was in for a surprise.

The idea of letting him suffer just a little bit actually brightened her mood. Buffy barely registered the thought, but it was there.

“You’re with me,” Angel said as he approached Cordelia. He reached out to lead her back toward the area where he had left his jacket.

Cordelia jerked her elbow out of his grasp. “Hey. I don’t need guide dog.”

Dropping his hand to his side, Angel slowly curled his fingers inward until his nails pressed sharply against his palm. Opening up, his fingers flared out again to gesture toward the stairs. “Ladies first.”

She quirked an eyebrow upward and then grinned. “That’s better.”

“Do you want to go home and change clothes before we get started?” Angel eyed the unsuitably breezy top and the expanse of those long legs showing beneath her skirt. Similar to her usual style, it was more suited to the library steps than patrol.

Glancing down, Cordelia saw nothing wrong. “I’m ready.”

“You don’t exactly blend in with the shadows.”

“Bait’s not supposed to blend.”

Angel had heard Cordelia talk about her role as Bait Girl, but it never occurred to him that she would actually want to do such a thing. “You aren’t bait when you’re with me.”

“Pfft! I’m not with you. We’re a team. Don’t expect me to do nothing,” Cordelia argued back. “I didn’t sign up for this just to play cheerleader on the sidelines.”

He moved closer reacting automatically to her obstinate stance. Angel’s smooth voice lowered to a low growl. “We have a job to do.”

“Fine.” Cordelia tucked her hair behind her ear exposing the line of her throat to Angel’s view.

In an instant, his demonic instincts flared to life. His eyes darted to the pulse there, fury stirring in his veins, and for a flicker of a moment it was all he could do to tamp down on the urge to grab her by the neck and bury his fangs in that buttery soft flesh.

The thought came and went so fast that he barely had time to acknowledge it was there. Angel was not sure how she had managed to get a rise out of him so quickly.

He was doing this for Buffy’s sake even if a part of him knew that she arranged it to keep them apart. That was a mistake. Patience was a game he knew very well. He could handle anything Buffy threw his way, including Cordelia Chase.

Scene 8

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