Chapter Twenty:
The room was silent. Cordelia turned sword raised when she sensed the presence of another immortal. She lowered it with a small smile when she saw Duncan. Cordelia turned to Angel. They both took a step towards each other.
“No, Carol. Not yet!” Duncan cried out. Angel growled to the stranger. Cordelia shot a questioning glance towards the older immortal.
“It’s not over,” he said quietly.
The air suddenly began to fill with an electrical charge. The occupants stepped back from Cordelia. Her body jerked as blue streaks of electricity swirled around and through her body. Cordelia closed her eyes at the pain and ecstasy. All, but Duncan, watched in amazement as Cordelia was lifted into the air and the windows blew out around them.
Somewhere in the back of Wesley’s mind, he thought windows breaking, shades falling, sunlight. “Angel,” he shouted. Wesley shoved the vampire in the supply closet and leaned on the door.
“Wesley,” Angel yelled from the closet.
“Window…Sun…,” was all Wesley could scream out while he dodged the flying glass.
Then as soon as it started it stopped.
“Hold on Angel.”
“Damn it, Wesley.”
Wesley noticed the two strange men. “Help me here.” He started to pick up the fallen shades. The smaller man came over to help Wesley after glancing over at Cordelia. Wesley winced as the taller man went over to help Cordelia up. Wesley was glad that Angel was in the closet.
He hoped that the good-looking stranger had his hands off Cordelia by the time Angel emerged from the closet. Otherwise, there would be more destruction in the room. He sighed and turned to the younger man. “Here help me put this up.”
Cordelia brushed off Duncan’s hand gently, with a quick word of thanks. She looked around for Angel. She started to panic when she saw the sun stream through the broken window.
“Wesley, Where’s Angel?” she yelled.
“Closet,” came from two sources. One of the sources was obviously Wesley, who was standing on the desk trying to secure the shade. So, Cordelia thought with a giggle, the other must be coming from Angel in the closet. Well, he couldn’t hide from her. She was going to give him a piece of her mind. Not believing in her, he better damn well apologize, she fumed. Otherwise, she wickedly thought, she would make Wesley take down the shade and drag Angel out, and watch him dodge sunrays.
She marched over to the closet and opened, taking care to block any sunrays.
“You can’t hide from me.” Her tirade was stopped by a strong hand pulling her in the closet. Angel closed the door as he pulled her against him.
“Umph,”the young immortal exclaimed as she landed on his chest. “Look here ‘grrr’ guy, don’t you…” Angel captured her mouth with his in a fierce kiss. Cordelia struggled against his mouth, still trying to speak. Angel took advantage of her moving lips to slip his tongue into her mouth.
Cordelia ceased her struggling as Angel’s tongue explored her whole mouth. She gave a soft moan, when his tongue started to tease at hers. Cordelia opened her mouth wider, pressing her body closer to his. Angel let out a soft growl as he felt her breast push up against his chest. Cordelia’s arms tightened around his neck in response. Their tongues thrust together as their bodies tried to get closer. Finally, Angel slowly released her. She gasped for air. He tried to pull her back in for a kiss. Cordelia placed a small hand on his chest.
“You, the immortal vampire may not need to breathe, but I the mere immortal need to,” she giggled softly. Angel smiled and began to plant small kisses along her neck. Cordelia moaned at the sensation, bringing her hands up through his hair.
“Angel,” she whispered.
“Mmm,” he said against her neck.
“Oh, Angel, I was so scared,” she whimpered.
Angel lifted his head from her neck. He placed his hands gently on the either side of her face and looked into her eyes.
“You were wonderful, you are wonderful,” he said lovingly.
“Oh, Angel.” Cordelia pulled him back into a kiss.
They were kissing, when Wesley yanked the door open.
“It’s safe to come…Oh, my god,” he sputtered. “Out, get out of there right now!” The former watcher pulled Cordelia out by her arm.
“Hey, come on Wesley,” Cordy whined.
“Out…and you behave yourself,” he said to as the vampire growled at the loss of Cordelia’s warmth. “I mean it, Angel, you stop that growling right now or…or I am going to pull down those shades, I so carefully hung up, and leave you in the closet.”
Cordelia tugged on the former watcher’s arm, as Angel continued to growl. “Wesley, that’s probably not such a great idea. I mean the sun will go down eventually, and I think then you will have one pretty pissed vamp.”
“A VERY pissed vamp, Wes.” Angel’s low voice came from the closet.
Chapter Twenty-One:
Wesley thought over his options, and decided that he couldn’t get far enough away before sundown to evade a pissed Angel. So, with some reluctance, he stepped away from the door.
But he warned the vampire, “That can not happen again.”
“Wesley,” Cordelia whined.
“Cordelia, we have discussed this, Angel’s soul needs to be protected that means you two,” he said waving his finger at the vampire and the girl, “need to stay apart. No more of that…well…you know.” Wesley blushed.
Cordelia started to respond, when Angel stopped her. “We have company.” Angel looked at the strangers in the office.
“What, oh…Angel, Wesley…this is Duncan, you know Duncan Macleod, blah, blah, blah, I am Immortal, and this is Brian Roberts, mortal and my watcher.” She waived to the strangers. “Duncan, I did it.”
“Yes, you did well, very well,” the other immortal replied not looking at the girl, but staring at the vampire. It couldn’t be, he thought.
“I suppose, you want your old car back.” Cordelia was oblivious to Duncan’s intent concentration on the vampire. “I didn’t hurt it. The ‘classic’ is right outside.”
“Cordelia, come here.” Angel sensed the older immortal’s growing hostility.
“Carol,…” Brian started.
“Brian, my name is not Caroline, its Cordelia. I found my past, isn’t that cool.” Gesturing towards Wesley and Angel.
“He’s a vampire,” Duncan said coldly.
“Duh, of course he is. Duncan you were right, my dreams weren’t dreams they were memories. Well, I don’t really remember yet, of course, but it’s it great…. Oh wait, I never told you, my dreams were of vampires and other icky stuff, no offense Angel.” Cordelia turned to the vampire.
Angel stood silently watching Duncan Macleod.
Cordelia was about to continue when she felt Angel’s tension. She turned back to her more recent friends. “Mac, why is your sword drawn? The Marcus guy is dead, head gone and everything.”
“Carol, move away,” ordered the Highlander.
“My name is Cordelia, and why should I move away?”
“He is a vampire,” Brian whined.
“Again, duh…he is…”
“Angelus,” finished the Highlander.
“What?” Both Wesley and Cordelia moved closer to their vampire friend.
Angel ignored his friends movements. “Do I know you?”
“Prague, 1801,” replied the Immortal.
Angel winced at the memory. “I take it you were there?”
“Definitely, I buried a lot of friends and loved ones that year.”
“I am sorry,” replied the guilt-ridden vampire.
“You will be more than sorry, you will be dead,” stated the older Immortal.
Cordelia listened to the exchange in stunned silence. However, Macleod’s last statement sprung her into action.
“What the hell is going on?” demanded the young immortal. “Put down your sword.”
“He came from hell and I will return him there.” Duncan promised.
“Stop it, he is my friend.” Cordelia stepped in front of the Highlander.
“You are not his friend, he and his so called ‘friends’ slaughtered a whole village. Torturing and killing women and children.”
Cordelia looked towards Angel and saw his pained expression. “Angel, it wasn’t you.” She begged the vampire to believe her.
“Of course it was, he is Angelus,” shouted Brian.
“SHUT UP!” shouted Cordelia.
Wesley watched it all in silence, thinking. The other occupants of the room were intent on Cordelia, so he moved slowly towards his crossbow on the desk. No one noticed as he took it to his side and pointed it towards the old immortal. He waited.
Cordelia took a deep breath and moved towards her mentor. “I am guessing, that you have experienced Angelus?”
“Him.” Duncan pointed his sword towards Angel.
“No, that is Angel, the vampire you met is not here,” she claimed.
“They are one in the same,” cried Brian. “You know this Carol, you were there when Angelus terrorized you and your friends, tortured Rupert Giles, and killed Jenny Calendar. You know that he let his evil reign in Sunnydale, you know it.”
“My name is Cordelia Chase and what do you know about my past life or Angelus.” The young immortal turned angrily to her watcher. “Nevermind… Wesley make him shut up,” she demanded without looking at the former watcher.
Wesley pointed the crossbow at the young man’s chest. “I suggest you be quiet, I have been practicing.”
Cordelia and Wesley were protecting him, Angel thought in amazement. He knew that they cared, but this show of support, no matter how unwarranted warmed his non-beating heart.
“Cordelia,” he said softly, ” Angelus did maim and kill in Prague. It wasn’t the first village or the last he terrorized.”
“I don’t care…Well, I mean I am sorry for the loss of life and all…but Angel, it wasn’t you. And you will not pay for Angelus’s crimes.”
“Of course I will, I am,” sighed the vampire.
“STOP!” she shouted. “Angel that was not you,” she said gently to the vampire. And to the immortal she stated firmly and loudly, “Duncan, Angel is not the vampire you saw years ago. You saw Angelus. And I am sorry for whatever loss you suffered, but, THIS IS NOT ANGELUS, THIS IS ANGEL, he has a soul…He is good, he helps the helpless. Why is it so hard for people to understand this?” She asked more to herself than to the others.
“But never for you is it?” Angel said in wonderment.
She just shrugged.
Brian and Duncan listened in amazement. Wesley wasn’t amazed, not even surprised. Of course, he thought, it would now be even more difficult to keep them apart. Maybe if he asked the Slayer to come back, to remind Angel of his lost love.
No, he decided such action would not only be fruitless, it could possibly bring about some serious injury to himself by three extremely pissed supernatural beings; the slayer, a souled vamp, and a stubborn young immortal. He would just have to think of another plan, he thought as he motioned with his crossbow for Brian to be still.
Cordelia took a deep breath and turned to Duncan. “You will not fight Angel, if you can’t get over your stupid prejudices than you can just leave, and take that person with you.” She pointed to a fidgeting Brian.
“Carol…,” started Duncan.
“FOR THE LAST TIME!” she yelled losing her temper, “Mr. My name is Duncan Macleod of the Clan Macleod, born in the year of my lord 1592, I am Immortal…..MY NAME IS CORDELIA CHASE, of Sunny’hellmouth’dale, CA, born in the year of my lord 1981; former May Queen; -cheerleader, though the ex- part was not my fault, it was that witch of a mother of Amy’s and of course dating a loser like Xander; homecoming queen, or should have been, except for ‘Miss-I-like-to-kick-demon-ass’ and the bounty demon hunters that ruined my dress- I could have beaten Buffy,” she glared at Angel and Wesley.
They just nodded in amazement at her tirade. “Ummp,” she said at their nod. “Where was I?”
“Homecoming?” Wesley suggested helpfully.
“Oh yeah… homecoming,” she said disgustingly, then with more force, “Part-time member of the Scooby Gang and Proud Survivor of the Sunnydale Class of 1999; want-to-be actress; underpaid assistant/seer to the vampire with a soul…” She stopped and looked at the huge grins on Wesley and Angel’s faces. She finished happily, “I am Immortal.”
With those words, she launched herself at Angel, laughing, “I remember, I remember.” Angel caught her easily in a huge hug. Angel ignored the other immortal as he swung Cordelia around.
“Okay, “grrr” guy, let me go,” she cried laughing. Upon her release she ran to Wesley, who more awkwardly caught her.
“I remember you, stodgy research guy,” she laughed. She looked back at Angel in sudden concern. She ran towards him and started placing her hands all over his body.
Angel stood stock still, though his body reacted to her touch. “Cordy, what are you doing?”
“Angel, are all right?” Patting his body. ” The last time I time I saw you, you were being attacked by some very large, mean-looking, ‘grr’ guys,” she exclaimed still checking for injuries.
“That was over four months ago,” he growled. Angel could feel sparks of heat on his body wherever Cordelia placed her hands.
“Oh right…Hey, you did kick that not so born-again lawyer’s ass?” Cordelia’s hands rested on Angel’s chest.
“Yes.” Shooting a pleading look towards Wesley. Wesley returned the look, silently promising not to say how Lindsay actually met his death.
“Umh, good, he was such a weasel.” Cordelia turned to look a Brian, who had backed up to the wall during Cordelia’s tirade.
“Speaking of weasel’s, we have a lot to talk about, don’t we watcher of mine?”, she said menacingly. “Later” She promised.
Cordelia walked towards Duncan, picking up her sword along the way. She stopped in front of him looking him straight in the eyes. “Duncan, you are my friend and I now remember that I don’t have that many. I owe you a lot and some day we may have to meet in the gathering, but I truly hope not. But if you insist on your revenge than there will be a fight today, here and now. Because believe me, when I tell you, the only way you fight Angel is over my headless corpse.”
“He is a monster. Like the ones that haunted your dreams.”
“You’re right, he haunts my dreams, but he is not a monster. I will say this only once more, this is Angel. He has a soul. He is not Angelus. And as long as I have a head on my shoulders, Angel and his soul will be protected.” She promised.
Angel stood in awe listening to the beautiful immortal. She believed in him, she accepted him, she was willing to kill or be killed for him. He couldn’t let that happen. “Cordelia, don’t, Duncan is your friend. You cannot fight your friend.”
“He is my friend, but you are…,” she couldn’t finish, “…Anyway, think of it has part of the ‘game’,” she stated. “Well, what will it be? Now or sometime way in the future?” Cordelia looked at the Highlander.
Duncan stared at the young immortal, seeing the determination and sense of purpose in her gaze. She was so brave and beautiful. He wondered if he would ever be able to take her head. Duncan observed the vampire. He saw the love and fear that were on the vampire’s face. Maybe, this creature really did have a soul, he thought. But, it didn’t really matter, he thought, he would not fight Cordelia.
“I want you to be safe,” he whispered as he sheathed his sword.
“I am,” she whispered as she caressed the older immortal’s cheek. She turned, her sword hidden instantly in her clothing.
“Well.” Cordelia looked at all the occupants of the small room. “First things first, we have to clean up this mess.” Gesturing at the broken glass. “No self-respecting helpless person would come in, especially a helpless one with money…so, get busy…clean.” She stopped as the men started to pick up the debris scattered around the office.
“And then, after I have caught up with all the gossip. You two,” pointing towards Duncan and Brian, “will come back and we all,” she glared at her watcher, “will discuss how it is that Brian knew about my past and failed to tell me.”
Chapter Twenty-Two:
Cordelia, Wesley and Angel went to the elevator soon after Duncan and Brian left the building. Cordelia entered the elevator, placing herself as far away as she could from the vampire. Cordelia remembered everything. She remembered that while Angel cared about her, he could not really love her.
Buffy was his true love. She remembered the horror show that Buffy and Angel’s love affair caused. She had seen the heartache that both the slayer and Angel suffered when they realized that their love was doomed.
Thank god her memory returned when it did. Otherwise, she would not have believed how fragile Angel’s hold on his soul really was. She shuddered at how her clueless self had put it at risk. But the memories of their kiss were overwhelming, even more so than the experience of taking Marcus’ head and the quickening.
So, she made herself distant from the vampire, because she knew that if she touched him now, she would risk it again.
Angel sensed Cordelia distancing herself from him. He was hurt by her actions, but understood. She now remembered everything about Angelus. And though as his friend, she would protect him, she couldn’t love him. His heart broke as she moved farther from him.
But she was alive and would be in his life forever. So while she couldn’t return his love, he would be with her and protect her. He had his family back. For that he was grateful.
Wesley thought that the elevator ride was one of the most uncomfortable and longest in his life. He glanced at the other two occupants. They wouldn’t look at each other. He was surprised that they were so far apart. He had thought that they would have been all over each other and he would have to forcibly separate them.
Cordelia’s memory was intact, she was safe and Angel was safe. Everyone should be happy. So why was it so dismal in the small elevator, he wondered.
Cordelia broke the silence as the elevator reached the apartment. “So, do I still have my apartment or does Dennis have a new roommate?”
“Your landlord has tried to rent it. But is seems that every time he does, the tenants go screaming out in the night.”
Wesley was grateful for some conversation. “Dennis seems to be doing the scary ghost bit.”
“Good, then I can get it back…Or…Damn, how many people know that I was dead?” Cordelia went into the kitchen.
“Um, well, everybody, or well everybody the counted, your parents, Giles, Buffy, Xander, Willow…Well everybody.” Wesley sat next to the young immortal.
Angel wasn’t sure what to do. So, he started pulling food out of the refrigerator. They never did get the chance to eat breakfast. He pulled out a carton of blood, then put it back. Angel did not want to feed in front of the two humans.
“Angel, if you are hungry, then eat.” Cordelia said not looking at the vampire. Angel just stared at the young woman. “Come on, we are family. You can drink and cook at the same time,” she said. “So everyone thinks I am dead,” she continued without looking to see if the vampire was going to follow her direction.
“Damn, as I see it, the Scooby Gang is the easiest to deal with, though I am not real excited about them knowing I am immortal. Giles will ask me a bunch of stupid questions that I won’t be able to answer. But at least they won’t freak, well not that much. My parents…Well, did they even notice, I was dead?” Angel stopped what he was doing at the sound of pain in her voice.
“Cordy, your parents were upset. There was a memorial service in Sunnydale. The authorities let your father go,” He said gently.
“A memorial service with my parents, really? Who was there? Were Xander and the rest there? Did they cry? Did they say nice things or did they just go ding dong the bitch is dead?” She ended bitterly, hiding her face in her hands.
It took all of Angel’s self control not to go and gather her in his arms. He looked at Wesley to do something, anything to make her smile. Wesley knew what Angel was asking, he just didn’t know what to do or say.
Neither he nor Angel went to the service. None of those people, especially her parents, knew Cordelia like they did. And they hadn’t wanted to share their loss with those that wouldn’t, couldn’t understand.
“Well…was it really that bad?” she asked sadly. She remembered her parents’ indifference to her while growing up. And how bitchy she had been to everyone else.
“Cordelia, I am sure it was lovely, but well…we didn’t go,” said Wesley.
“Gee, thanks, I thought we were family. You could have gone and told everyone that I had the ability to be a friend. That I was a good person,” she cried.
Angel couldn’t stand it. He knelt down in front of the crying girl and pushed her hair out of her face. “You are a good person. You are a loyal friend and we are family, we just couldn’t share our…We just couldn’t go.” He finished. Not sure if he said anything to help.
But how could he explain, that they wanted to grieve alone. That they couldn’t, that he couldn’t listen to any insincere or misleading comments about the woman that he had gotten to know and love.
Cordelia sniffled and looked up. “It’s okay, I guess…Anyway, that is neither here nor there…the issue is what to do now. Do I keep playing dead; get a new identity and leave? I mean, I already have the identity of Carol Tempo, credit cards and all, I guess I could go back to Seattle.”
“No!” Both Wesley and Angel yelled.
“I don’t want to…But it’s not just the people in Sunnydale. I mean Buffy and Co. would adapt and accept the immortality thing, and my parents seem to be able to block all the weird stuff in my life out. But what about Evil Lawyer Firm. Lindsay would know something was out of the norm, if I was to start right back to work. That could be dangerous for everyone.”
“Lindsay is dead,” stated Angel.
“What did he give some demon client bad legal advice?”
“He is dead. He is no longer a threat.” Cordelia saw the expression on both of her friends’ faces. She decided not to pursue that topic anymore, for now.
“It actually won’t be that difficult, if you don’t what to tell those in Sunnydale about your immortality.” Wesley thought out loud. “I mean, all we have to say is that you were kidnapped and escaped. That the experience was so traumatic that you lost your memory. Eventually, you regained it and came home.”
“Tell them, that I escaped from a slit throat, and being dumped in the ocean bound in chains, right. They may find that a little difficult to believe. I don’t think, we could convince them that I am a jr. Houdini.”
“Actually, we never went into much detail about your death. It could work. We can say that we just thought you were dead, I mean no one ever saw a body.”
“I guess…What do you think Angel?”
Angel recalled the fear and pain he felt watching Cordelia’s body disappear into the dark water. “I think, that I know that you are not leaving. So the kidnapped, escaped, and amnesia story will work.” He stated firmly, closing the subject for good.
No one spoke during the rest of the meal. Cordelia pushed back her plate. “I am tired. Angel can I sleep here?” She asked shyly.
“Of course”
“Thank you.”
Both men watched the beautiful woman leave the kitchen. As soon as she was gone, Angel grabbed his coat and headed for the sewers. Wesley wasn’t sure what to do. He had been shocked and scared when he had thought that Angel and Cordelia might actually admit their feelings for each other and act on them. But this silence between them was maddening.
Angel loved Cordelia and she loved him. And now they both would live forever apart. It wasn’t fair. There had to be something he could do.