Part 14
Cordelia woke up. She would go to school until mid morning then she would go to the bank. Her father hadn’t drained her trust fund yet. She would need it, if she were going to hide out in LA for the next couple of years.
Maybe she’d look for Gunn, or maybe not. She didn’t know, but she did know she had to leave Sunnydale as soon as possible.
***
Cordelia stared down the fidgeting bank manager. “Mr. Reynolds the Chase’s have been doing business with this bank for years. How do you think my daddy would react if I told him how uncooperative you are being?”
“Ms. Chase, the amount of money you are requesting will close your trust account. I helped your father set up that account it is for your college.”
Yeah, right. Cordelia choked down her snort. “I’ve authority to access the account.”
“For a limited amount. Your father only has the authority to close the account.”
“And he’s given it.” She showed the bank employee a note signed by her father.
“Um,” The squirrelly little man pushed at his glasses. “I’ll have to get his signature card to compare.”
Cordelia raised an elegant brow causing the man to blush. “Not that I think…its bank procedure.”
“Then do hurry,” she said patronizing.
Cordelia was pretty sure that the scrawl on the note would pass muster, her forgeries had never failed her before. She gave a bored glance around the bank. She was getting a headache…. no.
No. She scrambled up from her chair, heading for the door before she crumbled under the screaming pain, ignoring the calls from the bank manager. Cordelia made it to her car before breaking down, her body jerking at the pain and images flowing through her mind.
Cordelia gulped, willing the bright spots from her sight, ignoring the fire pulsating through her brain. She started the car and drove too slowly and too carefully to her house.
She stumbled up to her mother’s bathroom grabbing at the pills. She took a handful and slumped to the floor.
Thirty minutes later she made it to her bedroom, setting her alarm clock and falling to the bed. Her last thought was that the Powers were really trying to screw her.
***
Cordelia woke to a sound of ringing, she punched her alarm clock, but the ringing kept resounding through the room. She blinked and grabbed at the phone by her bed.
“Cordy,”
“Xander?”
“Yeah, I’ve been trying to call you all afternoon. Are you all right?”
Cordelia shook the cobwebs from her head, thankful that she could move it. The pain was almost non-existent. “I’m better.”
“Enough to go out?”
“Tonight?” she glanced at the clock. She had two hours.
“Yeah, to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?”
“Uhm.”
Cordelia could picture Xander’s head jerking up and down.
“Words, Xander, they’re more helpful than grunts and goofy expressions on the phone.”
“Oh, right, Buffy saw Angelus last night. He’s out of the picture.”
Cordelia froze in the bed, her mouth suddenly dry. “She…” Cordelia couldn’t complete her sentence.
“Yeah, wounded his ass big time. He ran away, limping and bleeding.”
Cordelia took a deep breath. “But alive?”
“Unfortunately yeah, but he’ll be down for awhile so its time to celebrate.”
“And you expressed this feeling of joy with Buffy?” Cordelia’s instant relief was turning into annoyance.
“Well, no, she’s kind of shaken up about the whole thing. That’s why I thought we should go out, show our support.”
“Right, go have you’re slayer cheer up party for her finally having the guts to hurt her psychotic boyfriend, count me out, I’m still sick.”
“Oh. Well maybe later then.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Cordelia hung up, slumping on her bed. Good news- Angelus wasn’t dead. More good news- She wouldn’t have to worry about him showing up when she went out. Bad news- She’d have to face the squirrelly bank manager tomorrow.
***
Angelus groaned as he sat up in bed. Damn slayer, caught him by surprise when he was leaving Cordelia Chase’s house. His mind had been too preoccupied with deciphering the earlier events and Cordelia’s last words. He knew her secrets? She knew his? The hating him, he could understand but the other. Then there were the dreams he had while he was healing.
Brown hair- a woman with rich dark hair. He hadn’t had that thought in almost a century. A woman whom he had wanted but had gotten away…the one that chose another vampire. He had tasted that woman, the memory was…. making him hard. Angelus felt his erection growing as he tried more to remember the woman with dark hair, a fire in her flashing eyes, a bold tongue overriding the fear that rippled through the intoxicating scent of her blood, a strangeness, a strength, and a beauty he had rarely seen before or since.
Angelus eyes snapped open. It couldn’t be. But the Cordelia Chase he saw in the cemetery last night fit many of the requirements of that woman.
Angelus looked down at the healing stake wound and the fading bruises. Silly Slayer thought that these would keep him down. Angelus swung his feet to the floor. Time to get some fresh blood and maybe pay another stop at Cordelia Chase’s. He would get his answers.
***
Cordelia walked into the alley, this time she had real stakes and a crossbow. She pushed her collar down. Hey, if Angel’s mark were a deterrent for vampires then she would use it.
Cordelia let loose a round of arrows into the vampires huddled at the end of the alley. She staked the one that her bolt missed. She leaned down. “Go home.” She said kindly to the scared child. “Run.”
The child blinked and scrambled to his feet and ran, only to be swung up and held.
“Cordy, is this another present? You’re too good to me. I didn’t get you anything. Don’t worry, I’ll find some one. Hi, miss me.”
Cordelia’s crossbow dropped, shock taking over her face as she stared at Angelus. He looked perfectly healthy. He looked…. Her eyes widened, the shock turning into real terrifying fear. “No.”
“Yes.” He looked at the struggling child in his hands. “I’m not hungry. But, since it was a gift.” He plunged his fangs draining the boy in seconds. He tossed the body aside as refuse, licking his lips. “Not bad, and thank you, but that wasn’t what I really came for.”
He stalked to the still woman, blocking Cordelia’s path to the street. “Do you know how long it took me to find you in this place. Five whole minutes. That’s how much you mean to me. Come here, love.”
“You….” Cordelia gulped, still staring at the young dead boy. “Oh god, no.” She looked back up. “I was worried about the wrong Angelus, those bastards, they sent you here.”
“If you’re talking about that souled freak who lost his ‘soul’- don’t fret, I’ll kill him, as for the ‘bastards’, I’ll kill them too. Why aren’t you running into my arms?”
“Because I despise you, duh.” Cordelia backed up, her mind finally coming to grips with what was happening.
“There’s that spirit that I crave.” Angelus was up against Cordelia in an instant, yanking at her neck. “I will so punish you for letting that souled abomination pollute my mark, touching you,” Angelus jerked Cordelia’s face to his.
“Never.”
Angelus laughed, rubbing his hands over her body, then stopping, holding her out for his inspection. “Like the hair, but you need to be fattened up. I don’t remember you being this bony.”
Cordelia pushed and slapped at his hands. “Get off me.”
“Cordy, I’ll be all over you and you’ll scream for it.”
“I told you once, don’t underestimate me.” She swung her stake slicing into his stomach.
“That’s it run, Cordy darling, but you can’t hide. You can’t kill me, but I can kill you and I will, making you mine forever.”
Cordelia didn’t pause in her running as she heard Angelus’ laugh and mocking voice getting closer.
Cordelia screeched to a halt.
“Hold on.” The leather clad vampire stepped out, picking her up, and leaping into the air his feet setting them firmly on the roof above.
Cordelia gulped, the action too quick not giving her anytime to think, staring at the familar vampire grabbing her hand tightly, leaning down to look over the ledge. “Come on. He’ll sense us soon enough.”
Once again, Cordelia was picked up and carried from rooftop to rooftop, finally landing to the ground. The vampire ran through the alley, kicking in a chained door. He pulled Cordelia through the abandoned hallway to another door. He held her close as he reached in his pocket to get a key.
He put her down once they were inside, locking the door behind him.
Cordelia blinked at the vampire. “You saved…Angel?”
The vampire stared for a moment and then gave a soft smile. “Were you expecting anyone else?”
“Well, Geez, I don’t know, two Angelus’ running around town. Not just one, two,” She held up her fingers pointedly. “I hate Wolfram & Hart.” She glared. “How did you find me? Where are we? Oh, what do I care, you’re here.” She ran into his arms.
It was going better than Angelus hoped. Granted he had been more than just a little surprised to see himself accost Cordelia in the alley. Even more surprised at hearing the exchange between he and Cordelia. They were obviously well acquainted. And since, that Angelus seemed to want him dead, he thought he better find out more about what was going on.
So, Angelus to the rescue. And now, it seems that not only was Cordelia Chase acquainted with Angelus, but also the ensouled version if the way she was murmuring the name Angel over and over again and hanging all over him was any indication.
“Angel,” She pouted, pulling his lips to hers.
Very well acquainted, Angelus hid his smirk, leaning in to sample the taste of Cordelia Chase.
Shock hit his system as the kiss deepened and her soft ample breast pressed against his chest. Her scent flowed around, pounding in his brain as her fingers scratched up to the short hairs at the back of his neck. Angelus knew Cordelia Chase. He knew her well.
Cordelia licked her lips, smiling. “Got to breathe.”
“Right.” Angelus resisted the urge to grab her by the hair and attack her mouth once more, tearing at her clothes to see the soft mounds that had pressed against him. To taste all of her. “Did he hurt you,” Angelus reached for Cordelia’s collar, pretty positive what he would find, but he wanted to know for sure.
“No.” Cordelia stilled as the vampire moved his lips over the scarred wounds. He wanted to laugh as he took in his own scent embedded permanently in the small wounds. No wonder the girl laughed so hysterically when he demanded to know what vampire protected her. It really was funny, bizarre, but funny.
That idiot soul had been so enamored with the slayer that he missed what was right under his nose. Well, Angelus couldn’t fault the soul too much. He had almost overlooked the girl that he had wanted for over 100 years.
Angelus looked up from the wounds, into Cordelia’s eyes. At some point, though, the soul must have noticed. The scent wasn’t from when he first marked the woman in Gertie’s. It was continuous and recent.
Well, if she didn’t mind. Angelus’ demon emerged going back to the marks.
“Whoa, ‘grr’ guy, we don’t have time for more hickie making. How are we getting home? I want my body back.” She pushed away.
Angelus wanted her body badly and her blood. He growled.
“Geez, Angel, keep your pants on. Is Wesley with you?” Cordelia moved further leaning up against an old table, running her finger through the dust. “Nice place, who’s is it. Dead person’s I imagine.”
Angelus answered the question he could answer. “My old apartment.”
“Right, bad memories, uh, couldn’t stay in the place where your soul had a moment of perfect contentment. Scared you would catch Buffy and soul cooties.”
“Something like that.”
Cordelia nodded, shoving her hands in her pocket. “Pretty brave, bringing me here. You know how I get when you throw the blonde little Miss Slay It in my face, imagining you and she doing the horizontal mumbo.” She cocked a brow.
Angelus hesitated. “We had to go somewhere.”
“That’s true. Past Angelus wouldn’t know about this place, just the current one. And Buffy supposedly beat the crap out of him tonight so he’s probably safely tucked in with the crazy Dru.”
Angel remained silent.
“What’s wrong Angel, Sunnydale catch your tongue -are you reverting back to the broody stoic guy?”
“I guess, bad memories here,” Angelus hazard a guess.
Cordelia nodded. “Yeah, failed love affairs, evil doings,” Cordelia jumped off the table heading towards the vampire. “Don’t brood, you’re here so that means we can go home. Then every thing will be all right.” Cordelia reached up to caress Angel’s face and with the other she plunged her stake in his stomach as hard as she could.
Angelus growled, grabbing for her as he fell.
She jumped out his reach leaning down. “You kiss better with a soul, you got the ‘I want to ravish and plunder’ bit right, but you just didn’t put enough feeling in to it. A girl can tell things like that.” She pushed the vampire down, pulling out the stake, placing it on his chest. “Don’t. I will kill you if I have to.” She reached into Angelus leather jacket getting the key.
Cordelia considered the wounded vampire as she got up. “That’s pretty deep, but I’ve seen you fight and win with worse, so…” She swung again, this time leaving the stake embedded next to other gapping wound on his stomach.
“Angelus, I don’t know if you will listen to me,” she kneeled down to the growling bloody vampire, “but it is in your best interest not to get involved with this. This isn’t your concern.”
“I will kill you,” Angelus pain filled face promised.
Cordelia sighed. “And here I thought you wanted me.” She unlocked the door and left.
“Oh, I do and I’ll have you,” Angelus yanked at out the stake. Damn’t he was going to have to get more blood and remember not to underestimate Cordelia Chase in the future. She had warned him.
***
Cordelia glanced around trying to get her bearings as to what part of town she was in then she ran.
***
Cordelia slammed her door, falling to the floor. Her mind was raging in conflict on which she should damn first, the Wolfram & Hart lawyers or the Powers that sent her straight into both Angelus’ path.
She couldn’t leave Sunnydale now. Past Angelus would follow and possibly killing 1998 Angelus in the progress.
What was she going to do? She would have to go to Giles. She couldn’t keep this to herself any longer. If past Angelus came across Buffy there would be no mocking, no hesitation, he would just kill the slayer or she would just kill him when she realized that Angelus could give a damn about her. But how was Cordy going to convince the Scoobies that neither Angelus could be killed.
Cordelia got up, moving to the couch. She tossed the stupid movies to the floor. Cordelia went to kick them, but stopped. She had gotten four- all the Back to the Futures and one she had never heard of, in fact, the only reason she got it was because for an old guy, Dennis Quaid was hot.
Why not? What else was she going to do but cry? She put the movie into the VCR, and read the back cover. A father and son reach through time to solve a batch of serial killings. Serial killings, time travel, hell, it may be the just the movie that could help her.
Cordelia rolled her eyes, fast forwarding, no solar flares or ham radios for her to talk to Angel through. Though that would be nice, Roger, Roger, Angel, help. She paused the video her interest peeked as the father in the 60’s laid his lit cigarette on the wooden desk, and an exact burn mark showed up on the previously unmarked desk the son was using in the ‘90’s.
She fast forward the mystery and family parts, pausing again as the father hid the killer’s wallet under the floor boards for the son to find almost immediately over 30 years later.
Cordelia stopped the movie. Maybe she could go to LA, break into the abandoned Hyperion leave a note for Angel to find or not leave a note…mail one. She picked out the wrong movies.
Cordelia scrambled through her father’s Rolodex, while digging for stationary and a pen.