art 27
“So, what do you think?” Lindsay turned to Lilah.
“You’re actually asking me?”
“Think of it as conversation for lunch.”
“Right, okay…it’s crazy, the he-man of what was it, Plyea, is crazy.” Lilah rolled her eyes, ”waking up spouting nonsense about Cordelia Chase being a princess- Angel, for god sakes being ‘the beast’ okay not that off the mark, but a ‘beast- false champion-‘ not the true destiny of the ‘princess’?”
“Correlates with the notes.”
“Doesn’t explain why. He can’t even explain. Just says that low-n-behold several days ago, he thinks, can’t be sure because ‘it’s fuzzy’, his memory was being ripped from him. Groosalugg? What’s that?”
“The champion- weren’t you listening?”
Lilah simply rolled her eyes in response.
“Lilah, I’m satisfied, and it does make sense.”
“How?”
“The mystical surge….”
“Happened three years or more ago, not in the last several days and so what?”
Lindsay shook his head. “Your problem Lilah, is you are so quick to get results you’ve never bothered to understand the business we’re in. Magic, demons, mysticism, weird shit.”
“Don’t patronize…”
“Shut up and listen or you’ll never get your lunch.” Lindsay interrupted. “He did explain as much as he could. He has vague memories of a Cordelia Chase we don’t know, never experienced, the one, I suspect, that would’ve existed had the mystical surging force hadn’t happened. The one that had the visions, and the one that stood next to Angel as his support.
The one that helped him be the warrior that the prophecies told of. Not the broken thing that we’ve been watching for three years. Three false years, I speculate. Three years that we need to be true. And now that they are together, it’s happening again, the present and future we don’t want. Our Cordelia may not have the visions, but you can’t deny her presence is bringing forth an Angel you’ve never seen or recorded before.”
Lilah threw up her hands. “If what you are saying is correct, how does this he-man know. If he was a part of the correct universe, then he shouldn’t remember just like us or them.”
“Talk to the philosophers in the basement or the senior partners, how should I know. But the Groosalugg doesn’t really remember, he just knows that he woke up one morning and everything was wrong, memories and feelings…the only thing he seems to be consistent and adamant on is that Cordelia Chase is his princess. He’s in a different dimension; obviously the power that changed or fixed history couldn’t affect him completely. And honestly, did it affect Angel and Cordelia that much-really? They were together then and are together now. What I don’t understand is if she was this Groo-person’s princess in the original time-line how she was such a threat to us with Angel.”
“That’s your one problem? How about who did it? One would think that a ‘power’ that separated Angel and Cordelia would be on our side as it has been beneficial to us.”
“I said ask the philosophers or the senior partners.”
Lilah shook her head. “And you say I ignore the big picture.” Lilah bit her lip and sighed. “She wasn’t with this Groosalugg.” Lilah said with conviction.
“What…How do you…?”
“Look, if we’re to assume that Angel, Cordelia, and this Groosalugg and even us were part of the ‘true’ picture…then look at it…Angel and Cordelia are together, this Groosalugg wants to break them up, we want to destroy them…I say that’s not that different from the way it originally played out, maybe the means but not the intent. This champion from another dimension in whatever version wanted Cordelia, and in whatever version she chose…actually in this one she hasn’t chosen yet. She doesn’t know yet.”
“She’s not going to choose a stalker from another dimension.”
“True, and maybe this version of Groosalugg realized this and decided on a campaign of just taking rather than asking.”
Lindsay nodded. “We’ll see.”
“I think he’ll take her.”
“If he can get through Angel.”
“Groosalugg- he’s a champion didn’t you hear. Angel’s just a crazy vampire. He’ll get her, now that we told him how.” Lilah smiled. “Soon, the problem of alternate lives and what should be or what was will be off our hands.” The sudden sirens in the room made both lawyers jump.
“What the hell?”
Lindsay strode to the monitor screen, tabbing in keys. “Vampire detector.”
“Angel? No way.”
“No.” Lindsay pointed to the monitor depicting the lobby.
“Is that Wyndham-Price?”
“The only one-armed human pain in the ass that I know of- with a flaming vampire- how much is it to hope that’s Angel under the inferno.”
“Sorry to disappoint you. ” Angel stalked into the room. “Funny, those detectors can’t quite distinguish the dead vampire from the really DEAD vampire.” Angel cocked his head moving closer to the couple. “You’re not laughing, either of you, you don’t think it’s in the least bit funny, not at all? Damn, I so need to work on my sense of humor.” Angel reached out, his hands swiftly grapping each stunned lawyer by their throats.
Angel’s grip tightened as each captive struggled. “Uh, I’d stop if I was you. You know, the noose knot, the more you fight the tighter it gets until you’re dead, my fists are really kind of like that right now. Not real big on whether you live or not. Oh, Lilah, you seem to be turning a royal blue, with frustration and the big old urge to speak on your face.” Angel released his grip slightly.
“You’re crazy.” She choked, just as suddenly the air disappeared from her lungs.
“Not the answer I wanted. I wouldn’t try again, unless you’re are ready to answer my questions.” Angel grinned, his fist closing again on the soft flesh.
“Oh, Angel, you found them.” Wesley ran in.
“They were planning to say something useful.”
“Excellent.” Wesley pondered. “Before or after you choke them to death?”
“Do you have a problem with that Wesley?”
“Only if you do it before we get the information we need… you did say it was useful…Um, Angel, the gentleman, Mr. McDonald seems to want to say something.” Wesley pointed to Lindsay’s frantic hand motions.
“I don’t know, Wesley, Lilah, here already tried that trick and it just pissed me off more.”
“Understandable.” Wesley looked at the two choking lawyers hanging in mid-air. “I’d suggest that you only talk if you’ve something helpful to say,” Wesley knocked away Lindsay’s hand. “Angel, he does seem to be anxious.”
“Oh, alright.” Angel released his grip on the lawyers’ neck, moving his iron grip to the man’s shoulder keeping Lindsay immobilized.
Wesley nodded to the vampire. “You were wanting to say, Mr. McDonald.”
“He hasn’t asked us anything.” Lindsay choked.
“Oh, dear.” Wesley turned to the vampire. “Angel, did you not ask them the questions we need the answers too?”
“Oh, I forgot, can I choke him again?”
“Um, let’s ask first, if they don’t answer, hell, snap their necks, there’ll be thousands of new lawyers after the next bar results. No one will miss them.”
Angel considered and lowered both attorneys to the floor. “Talk or I’ll snap your necks.”
Lindsay rolled his eyes, shifting to the monitor. Angel caught his look. “Oh, security guards out of commission, maybe dead, I wasn’t trying, but sometimes my strength gets away from me.” Angel smirked opening and closing his fist.
“Anything particular you want us too talk about?” Lindsay said half stalling and half in disgust.
“Plyea, the champion, the big ass portal that just opened up on the premises. Those would be good for a starter.”
“If you know why are you here, why aren’t you running to protect you’re little actress/princess/seer/ whatever the hell else she is in any other dimension.”
Wesley stepped up not sure if Angel would take the time to ask more questions or just start throttling throats again. Wesley had been more than a little taken back when he entered the room. Angel had not been any of the variations that Wesley had experienced.
This vampire had been cold, sardonic and willing to kill. Wesley wondered how close the vampire he saw was to the horror he had heard about in the Watcher’s Council and Sunnydale. Was that Angelus? No, Wesley, knew it wasn’t, but there for a minute, the vampire scared him.
“The ‘so-called champion’ came through?” Angel said calmly.
Wesley gulped. That tone actually scared him more than the throttling and smiling.
Lindsay shrugged, “You can’t get out of here.”
“You’ll care-how? You’ll both be dead.” Angel responded his voice low and ice cold.
“Groosalugg, Plyean champion, wants your girlfriend. Gone to get her. Must’ve let her address slip.” Lilah stepped up between the vampire and Lindsay.
Angel pushed both to the floor and ran out. Wesley looked once. “There is more isn’t there.” He stared at the fallen lawyers then shook his head and ran after Angel, realizing that he didn’t have the time to find out.
Lindsay struggled to his feet. “I’m going to have to reiterate. That vampire is coherent, not crazy, AND dangerous.” He glared down at the female lawyer ignoring her out-stretched hand.
Lilah grumbled in disgust as she helped herself off the ground. “Temporary. He just hadn’t had a vision yet.”
“Temporary will get us killed. I just hope that the vampire’s too late and the Groosalugg remembers the chant to re-open the Portal.”
“He has the Professor’s book.”
“Did it look like he could read to you?”
Part 28
“Are you expecting someone?” Gunn asked.
“Angel and Wesley, duh.”
“That won’t the Plymouth or my truck.” Gunn looked out the window trying to locate the unfamiliar sounding car. “Cab? What the hell.” Gunn backed up. “Cordy, go upstairs, lock your door.”
“What is it?”
“Your Tarzan beefcake from the looks of it. Carrying a sword and a nasty looking whip. Upstairs now and call Wes.”
Cordelia scrunched up her face, hesitating momentarily. “You can take cabs from dimension to dimension?”
“Naw, but you can from evil law firms to here.”
“I’m with Angel, I’m sick of the evil lawyers. All I did was fire them, talk about sour grapes. Hmmph,” shaking her head as she ran up the stairs.
Gunn barely listened. He was too busy ramming large pieces of furniture against the door. Gunn ran over to the large covered windows and secured the lock. Angel and Wesley could figure out how they were getting into the house when they showed.
All Gunn cared about right then was keeping the bad guy out and Cordelia protected. Gunn sat on the foot of the steps, his axe in his hand. The Tarzan want-be would have to go through him and his baby to get to Cordy.
Gunn cringed as he heard a large crash and Cordelia scream. He was on his feet in an instant starting up the stairs only to fall back as Cordelia’s fleeing body flew in to his. Gunn kept his balance and pulled Cordy with him, descending quickly.
“He came through my bedroom window. Damn, I knew I should’ve gotten rid of that trellis.”
“Why didn’t you tell me, girl. Damn’s right.” Gunn grumbled. “Hide,” shoving the young woman further away from the stairs.
“Hide where?”
“Damn’t woman, it’s your house. I don’t know. Go.” Gunn yelled his eyes at the top of the stairs and the longhaired leather-clad figure that appeared.
“You will not keep me from my Princess.”
“Yeah, I will.” Gunn braced his feet in a fighting stance, his axe in front of him.
“I am the Groosalugg, the undefeated, the champion of Plyea, My Princess will come with me.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck who you are- you ain’t take Cordy anywhere.” Gunn backed up keeping his distance from the descending Groosalugg and his snapping whip. “We were hired to protect and we get the job done.”
Gunn swung his axe as the Groosalugg vaulted over the staircase, the whip flipping out. Gunn yanked at his weapon trying to free it from the ensnaring thin leather. With a grunt, Gunn changed the direction of his momentum and threw the captured blade towards the Groosalugg and just as quickly dove and rolled towards the duffle bag at the foot of the stairs and the weapons inside.
The champion from Plyea easily knocked the sharp weapon aside, throwing it and the whip to the floor as he raised his sword.
Gunn scrambled on the floor pulling out a crossbow. The Groosalugg moved swiftly closing the distance as Gunn hurried to load the weapon.
“No you don’t you big oaf.” Cordelia cried out, running and throwing a lamp at the Groosalugg.
The longhaired man staggered at the impact. Gunn took advantage of the reprieve and jumped to his feet. “Nice Shot.”
“Thanks.” Cordelia smiled.
“Now, don’t just stand there run, girl.” Gun ordered.
“And leave you alone. Oh shoot.” She stepped back as the Groosalugg straightened.
“Cordelia, why have you hit me? I love you. We were meant to be together.”
The young woman gaped at the whining muscle bound man. “Duh, you were trying to shish kabob my friend. And I don’t love you, don’t know you, don’t want to know you, and sure and hell don’t want to be together with you. Pfft.”
“But…we’re meant…”
“Geez, stop saying that.” Cordelia yelled.
“Cordy,” Gunn beckoned the young woman to come closer to him.
“You are my princess.”
“And stop saying…” Cordelia’s words were cut off as the warrior grabbed her in a hug, capturing her lips.
Cordelia smacked at the big arms, struggling to get loose.
“Whoa.” Gunn yelled moving closer ready to add his blows to Cordelia’s. The black man stalled in his action as Cordelia’s struggles ceased and the young woman brought her hands up to rest on the man’s shoulders. Gunn blinked, the woman was kissing the bad guy. What the hell?
“What the hell?” Cordelia jerked back pushing away.
“It is our destiny.” The warrior moved closer.
Cordelia stepped back her eyes blinking rapidly at the approaching warrior her face scrunched up in confusion as her fingers rose to her betraying lips.
The occupants of the room all started as a resounding crash and broken splinters of glass and wood exploded from the far wall.
Gunn yanked at Cordelia pulling her away as the dark figure emerged from the debris. Angel’s gaze fell on Cordelia.
Groosalugg strode forward. “You, beast, will not come between the princess and her rightful champion again.”
“Guess we know who the beast is now.” Gunn whispered to Cordelia.
“What’d he mean, again? Again, what-when?” Cordelia responded in the same low tone.
“Is this guy for real?” Gunn shook his head. “Why’d you kiss him?”
Cordelia’s eyes widened at Angel’s growl. Damn’t the vampire heard Gunn.
“Cordelia.” Angel stared.
She shrugged the confused look back on her face. She opened her mouth and then closed it. She shrugged again. “I don’t know. It… was familiar. Sort of. I…” Her shoulders were moving in a constant shrugging motion.
“She knows me, she knows that it’s right that we will be together in Plyea. I will challenge you beast, you will not touch her.”
Cordelia shook her head frantically. “I didn’t say that…no way…I don’t know you…I just…Oh, go away. Make him go away.” She looked to Angel, Gunn and Wesley, who now was picking his way through the shattered back plane glass windows.
“Challenge?” Angel smirked. “Challenge accepted.” Angel lunged.
The Groosalugg swung, stopping Angel’s charge momentarily. Angel flung back caught his balance and responded with a forceful blow of his own.
The warrior’s head jerked back as Angel repeated the blow. Groosalugg recovered smashing his fist into Angel’s stomach, pushing the vampire back. Angel growled lurching forward hitting with a balled fist and swinging a vicious kick in follow through. Using his momentum, Angel twirled raising his leg again smacking the warrior in the chest, shoving him to the ground. He swung again.
Cordelia watched in fascination. She was getting that weird deja vu feeling again, like when Angel was cooking for her. Which was impossible. She never saw the Groosalugg before much less him battling with Angel. But it was so familiar, just like the kiss by the dimensional warrior. It also felt right, except Angel was about to break the champion from Plyea’s neck, which wasn’t right.
Damn. Cordelia ran tugging at Angel, trying to break the vampire’s strong grip. “Don’t, I…” Cordelia slammed her mouth closed. She almost blurted out that she loved him. Loved who-which fighter? She was going crazy. Cordelia wasn’t in love with anyone. “Angel, no, please,” trying again, saying what she had meant to say in the first place.
“Cordelia, he will…”
Cordelia shook her head, looking down at the crumpled warrior. Long hair, buff..and…there was something about him. It was more than the kiss. He was good. She knew it and well, he was a little whacked…but…who wasn’t. “No, he won’t” Cordelia said with conviction. “Please, Angel.”
Angel hesitated, staring at the young woman. He wanted to kill the intruding warrior that called him a beast and threatened to take Cordelia. There was an undeniable need to make the Groosalugg disappear- to get him away from Cordy. Angel staggered up, releasing his hands.
The feeling was jealousy, possessiveness, fear and knowledge that somehow this warrior was a threat to his happiness. Angel stepped back his eyes still on Groosalugg. Happiness? When did Angel start being concerned with happiness or actually even thought it was possible?
Groosalugg got to his feet, his breathing hard. “You…” The warrior looked away from the vampire and turned to Cordelia. “You are my princess.”
Cordelia slowly shook her head. “No.”
Groosalugg started to speak, then closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Cordelia whispered to the beaten champion. Cordelia couldn’t explain and she hoped no one asked- but she did know this man and her heart broke at the sadness in his face-that some how she caused.
Groosalugg opened his eyes directly into the eyes of the young woman, reaching out softly. “You should’ve been my princess, but you will always choose him. I love you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about and I don’t know you.” She mumbled, her eyes downcast.
“No, you don’t do you. But it wouldn’t matter, if you did, would it? He’s your priority, your champion, not me. Why did I not feel this before? This is right? I am sorry Cordelia, if my actions have caused you any pain. I never would wish for that. I wish you to be happy.”
Cordelia bit her lip at the love flowing from the warrior’s deep blue eyes. “How…I…”
The warrior smiled, causing Cordelia to blink. This guy did have major hottie potential.
Angel choked back his growl, the fear of losing something vital to his being crept and instilled itself through out his body, as he watched the exchange.
“I woke up one morning in Plyea and knew my world was wrong. My memories were dreams that were fading. I held on to what I believed to be true- that you were my princess and the beast would ravage and defile you, use you for his pleasure again and again, and when you have no more screaming in you, he would kill you…”
“Whoa, stop with the nasty bizarre dream stuff, Angel’s not a beast and whatever you woke up thinking wasn’t at all true- okay, maybe- if it was love plus sex equals the big happy joy and evil guy, maybe. But that’s Angelus not Angel, so no way is Angel doing all that whatever again and again and defily and killy stuff. Angel’s a good guy.” Cordelia nodded, reassuring the warrior.
Angel stepped back further into the shadows as a he listened. A fear other than losing something vital to his being crept into his soul, it was the fear that he would be the cause of losing everything. But, he didn’t have anything or anyone, not really. Cordelia was…Angel stared at the young woman.
What was she to him? What did she mean to him? Who the hell was she to be so much? Angel settled further back into the shadowed wall, fearing the loss of the warmth he had touched in last couple of days.
Groosalugg smiled sadly. “I think at one time I did discover the unlikely fact that the beast is a champion worthy of your regard, but that knowledge faded with all that was right or perhaps I pushed it away. I love you Cordelia Chase. I will leave.” the Groosalugg stepped closer, gently caressing Cordelia’s cheek. “You are so beautiful. I did remember that correctly.” he smiled leaning in gently kissing her lips. “Know this, if you are in need I’ll be back.”
“Sorry for interrupting this Kodak moment, but how are you planning to get back.”
Cordelia shot a glare over to Gunn.
“What? It’s a valid question that possibly has a chance of being answered not like the rest of this shit.” Gunn rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
“Those people gave me the spell to get back as they enabled the priest’s incantations to open the portal to this place.” The warrior explained.
“What spell?” Wesley moved forward. “Wolfram & Hart helped you? Why?”
The warrior turned his deep blue eyes to Wesley.
Wesley resisted the urge to flinch. There was something unnerving about the way the blue of the Groosalugg’s pupils took over leaving very little white around the starling color. Wesley concluded that the being before them wasn’t quite all-human. But he no longer seemed dangerous at least.
“Wolfram & Hart? If you mean those that helped me, they echoed my concern at the princess’ safety with the beast. They wished that I protect her and take her away.”
“Righto, Geez, those evil toadies wanted to cart me off to another dimension because I fired them. What the…”
“No, Cordelia.” Wesley shook his head. “There is something else behind this.” Wesley lifted his eyes back to the foreign warrior. “The letters of I guess…warnings and reassurances to Cordelia appeared in her bedroom. I suggest that we go up there and try out this spell. It is a hot spot so, the portal should open and you can go back where you belong.”
“Yes, it is time. I…” Groosalugg looked longingly at Cordelia. “Princess, would you consider…”
“I’m truly sorry, but my place is here.” She smiled apologetically.
“Of course, with him.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Okay, whatever, I had been thinking more along the lines of my career, my house, my whole life, but okay.”
Part 29
“Well, that was…bizarre.” Cordelia said as the portal swirled and faded. “I never saw him before in my life- how could he have seen me. How could he love me? I don’t get it, but I’m glad it’s over.”
“You said, he was familiar,” Angel finally spoke.
Cordelia blinked at the vampire. Angel didn’t look very well. She narrowed her eyes trying to figure it out. He wasn’t really mad; he was…Cordelia’s eyes widened. Angel was going into full-blown brood mode. She hadn’t seen that since he came back from being Angelus and hell. Both bummers for sure, definitely more brood worthy than this.
“Yeah, but I didn’t know him, can’t explain.” She said firmly ending the subject. Cordelia glanced around her bedroom. She wasn’t sure she liked sleeping in a mystical ‘hot spot’. What if something else bizarre popped out?
“Cordelia.”
The young woman looked back to Wesley waiting for him to stop clearing his throat and speak. “It’s over. We’ll leave now. You should get some sleep. Don’t worry, we will continue to look into Wolfram & Hart’s interest in you.”
Cordelia blinked, thoughts of weird things appearing presto in her bedroom and the possible evil intentions of the law firm were swept far from her mind. All she could think of was that Angel was going to leave her. That couldn’t happen. Her eyes shot to the solemn vampire. If he left, he would just brood.
But, if he stayed maybe she could make him smile again, he was doing it before- Oh, hell, she just didn’t want him to leave.
“Um, well, no, Angel’s staying, since he busted a big gapping hole in my living room. What if something creeps in, what if something pops out of a hot spot. I want protection for…another night, at least, maybe longer. I’ll pay.”
Angel growled. “Pay me to stay with you?”
Sure now the vampire speaks. Cordelia’s face blushed a bright red. “I…I hired Angel Investigations to protect me that’s all. Just…damn it. You’ll need the money, you need an office and staff and stuff, you do.” She huffed her arms crossed against chest.
“Cordelia, I agree with Angel.”
“Uh.” Cordelia turned a startled look to the one-armed former watcher. He couldn’t be thinking what obviously Angel was, from the look on the vampire’s face, it seemed he agreed with her.
“Cordelia, you’re our friend we will not charge you for protecting you.”
“Yes, you will, Wesley. I told you before- I’ve got money.” Cordelia’s mind switched back from sexual innuendo to Angel Investigations and the need for an office. “If you don’t, I’ll sue for the damage to my living room, then you will really need money. Ha.” She glared, daring Wesley to contradict her any more.
Wesley sighed, closing his eyes briefly. “I’m leaving. Gunn?”
“No reason to stay.”
“Angel,” Wesley asked.
“I told you…” Cordelia interrupted.
“I’m staying. Cordelia’s right until the windows are repaired she shouldn’t be alone.” Angel said lowly with no emotion.
“Fine, I’ll see you then in the morning.” Wesley nodded and headed over to Cordelia, grasping her hand in his one. “I’m glad that you are now safe.”
Gunn walked over. “Hey, me too, girl. Cool getting to know you.” Gunn stopped and called over his shoulder. “Have you actually ever taken that four-wheel high priced condo out for a ride?”
Cordelia scrunched up her face. “Oh, you mean the Hummer v or what ever it is. Nay, don’t like it not sure why I bought it…except every one seemed to be buying them…have to keep up with the Jones…do you want it?”
Gunn blinked. “Uh?”
Cordelia shrugged apologetically. “I’ve seen your truck.”
“Hey man, my baby is still good to go, saved my life more than once.” Gunn defended.
Cordelia scrunched up her face. She could’ve sworn that Gunn’s baby was his axe. At least that’s what she heard him whispering as he wiped it into shinny gleam. “Second vehicle, company car, if that’s better. I don’t use it.”
“Cordelia,” Wesley shook his head. “Good bye.” Kissing her lightly on the forehead.
“Wait,” her hand shot out grabbing his arm. “Thanks.” She flashed a bright smile to Wesley and Gunn. “You are real friends. I’m going to keep annoying you until you accept my money, my truck and whatever else I can think of. You can’t fight me. I’m Cordelia Chase. I know things.”
“You’re dangerous. Angel, be careful and don’t let her give us the car.” Wesley chuckled as he left.
Gunn stalled at the doorway. “Maybe, I could test it out sometime.”
“Gunn,” Wesley yelled.
“Just asking.”
Cordelia caught the black man’s hand. “Anytime.” She whispered. “He’s just a stuffy guy that no longer advertises it by wearing tweed.”
“Gottcha.” Gunn shot a couple fingers up in a casual salute. “See ya, Angel, call if…”
The vampire nodded from the corner he had retreated back into.