20
She found it vaguely amusing, the way his feet moved from left to right, his body restless as he paced a groove into the carpet. Willow shut her eyes momentarily, letting a yawn escape.
“So what you’re saying is,” Wesley placed a hand on his chin, still pacing, “You need to extract Angel’s soul in order to restore it?”
Willow nodded. “The only thing we can do to the soul while it’s inside him is remove it. Once that’s done, it’s a separate entity entirely, which means we can then perform the spell needed to lift Wolfram and Hart’s clause.”
“And the clause concerning its permanency?”
“That’s the tricky part.” Willow said, her stomach dropping. “Removing the soul is a risk in itself because if the restoration spell fails – ”
“We’ll be dealing with Angelus and a broken-hearted Cordelia.” Wesley dropped into the seat beside her. “I should have insisted on no emotional attachments whatsoever. Why on earth did I tell her to pursue him?”
Willow’s eyebrows shot up. “You did what?”
“Never mind…” Wesley hurriedly picked up a piece of scripture. “You were saying?”
“Once the soul is in the orb,” Willow pointed at the round glass object resting neatly on the table atop a sheet of velvet, “I should be able to remove the clause binding him to Wolfram and Hart…if that scroll is where you say it is.”
“The home office.” Wesley confirmed. “It will be.”
“Good.” Willow tapped the sheet he held in his hands, the one she’d received from Jenny Calendar. “Then this will restore his soul permanently. It’s the original gypsy curse.” When Wesley glanced up she continued. “Minus one pesky little detail.”
“So he’ll be able to achieve perfect happiness?”
“If it works, yes.” Willow took the sheet from him, folding it and sliding it into her bag.
Wesley looked her in the eye. “And if it doesn’t.”
Willow sighed. “It’s up to you. But if I know you guys, you’re not gonna let an evil vampire wander the streets to terrorize the city and pile up a body count. No matter how anyone feels about his alter-ego.” She hoped she looked apologetic. “Besides, he’d go after *her* first.”
Wesley appeared to be in deep thought. “I suppose I just wonder if it’s worth the risk at all.”
Honesty was the best policy. “Either you risk it, or he’s stuck in that hell hole forever.” Willow lay a hand atop Wesley’s shoulder. “It’s his decision, Wesley. We’ve done all we can do for now.”
—
Buffy tightened her hold on him and for the fifth time since she’d crawled into his bed, Xander wondered exactly what had happened tonight. She’d walked in looking pale, frightened, as though she’d seen a ghost – he’d tried to coax something out of her but she’d refused to tell him what was wrong.
All she’d wanted were his arms. Xander glanced down at her, frowning when he saw her eyes were wide open, staring dazedly into the distance.
“Buffy…” He murmured, pushing a strand of hair away from her face, “Are you ever going to tell me what’s wrong?”
She swallowed, once, twice, closed her eyes and released a breath. For a few minutes Xander thought she was just going to ignore him. Then she spoke, and it was the last thing he expected.
“Cordelia died.”
His heart plummeted into the depths of his stomach, loss for a girl and friend he’d many a night fantasized about gripping at his chest. His voice came out broken. “What?”
Buffy glanced at him, as though suddenly aware of her surroundings, his expression, her own demeanour – everything. She raised a hand to his face, shaking her head. “No…I mean…she’s alive. We don’t know how or why but she’s fine now.”
Xander lay entirely still, confused, shocked, relieved…WHAT? “Wait…what?”
“She’d died.” Buffy bit her lip, pulling once again on his arms. He brought them around her. “That thing, it killed her but she…she came back somehow. We didn’t know what to think, we were just so happy…”
Xander sat up, bringing her with him. “She came back to life? Are you sure she was even dead? Maybe she was just knocked unconscious?”
Buffy’s eyes teared up. “Her heart stopped, Xander.”
It was impossible. Unless… his heart dropped horribly in his chest. “Did Angel maybe…did he…ya know?”
She looked lost. So much for the subtle approach.
“Was he with her all the time? Maybe he…maybe he was so devastated that he…you know, did something crazy to make sure she didn’t die?”
Buffy still looked confused. “What do you mean? Like what?”
Xander swallowed, knowing he was way out of line but unable to help but ask. “Did you see any marks on her neck?”
Buffy made a face. “I wasn’t looking. Why would there be – ?” She stopped suddenly, her eyes widening before they rolled dramatically and the girl he’d loved since he’d known her returned to her usual relaxed demeanour.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Xander.”
He frowned, tightening his hold on her. “It was just a theory.”
“Yeah, a lame one.” Buffy snuggled into his chest, sniffing to rid herself of the last of her tears. “We’re gonna have to look into it tomorrow.” She reached for his hand, curling her fingers in his and squeezing. “I’m just so relieved…I’m just happy you’re here.”
Xander kissed her forehead. “And I always will be.”
—
He found her just outside the balcony doors, a hand pressed tightly to her chest as she stared out into the night at nothing, the moon casting a glow over her and painting her skin ivory. Her heart beat steadily, though her breathing was hitched, and that was what had Angel walking faster towards her, his hand settling gently on her shoulder.
“Cordy?”
She swallowed, looked up at him, and her eyes were glazed with unshed tears. Immediately he tensed, cupping her face in his hands.
“What’s wrong?”
Cordelia took a single, deep, shuddering breath, suddenly stepping forward and burying into his arms. Angel wrapped her up tight, resting his cheek against her hair. “What’s the matter, baby?”
He felt a tear wet his jumper before she replied. “It’s just…been a surreal night.”
Of course. He felt stupid for not knowing right away. He’d been an ass for walking away from her but his own feelings had been in shambles – terror and heartbreak, and then sudden shock and relief.
Cordelia had been fine when she’d run after him outside the warehouse, happy at his revelation albeit a little drowsy, but in the car on the way home and now – she’d been unusually quiet and it had to have hit her hard.
She had died tonight. Angel had felt her breath cease and her heart stop beating as he’d held her in his arms. It was a miracle that she was still here, still with him – he had no idea what he would have done if anything had happened to her – and yet the experience was still traumatic, even worse for her than for him.
It wasn’t everyday that you watched someone you loved die and come back to life, nor was it a common occurrence to die yourself and be graced with another chance to live. The consequent strains and emotions of said event were clearly choosing now to hit home. Angel tightened his arms around her. “You okay?”
She nodded into his chest and he felt the blessed thumping of her heart beside his as he held her close, offering her comfort in the best way he knew how. Cordelia pulled away just slightly, wiping her eyes and touching her chin to the base of his throat, looking up at him.
“What?” He asked thickly, the horror of losing her still fresh and now revived in his memory.
She sighed, warm breath making his eyes flutter. “I…” She bit her lip, staring imploringly at him, “Kiss me?”
His eyebrows shot up at the request but he didn’t hesitate, leaning forward and gently placing his lips on hers. She caught him by surprise, pressing her mouth hard against his, desperately clinging to his lips and kissing him in a way that made him forget anything and everything but her and this moment in her arms.
When she pulled away to breath she tucked her face into his neck, breathing him in as if to reassure herself that he was really there. Cordelia squeezed his hip, tightening her grasp on him. “Don’t go tonight, okay?” She pressed a kiss to his adam’s apple. “Just, stay with me?”
“Of course.” He kissed her forehead, amazed by her combined strength and vulnerability. “I love you, Cordy.”
She smiled then, just the tiniest quirk of her lips but it lifted his heart to heights unknown. “I love you too, Angel.”
—
“Good Lord, I’m coming!” Wesley wrapped his robe tightly around his body, hurriedly making towards the door. The banging continued, and it was only when he yanked open the door that he saw the lack of colour present in Faith’s face.
“Faith!” He moved aside to let her in. “What on earth – ?”
She held up her hand, silencing him. “We have a problem, Wes. Well, we HAD one and it’s kinda solved now but we don’t know why, and – ”
“You’re rambling.” Wesley led her to the couch, sat her down. “Now, calm down and start at the beginning.”