Part 12
Whimpering cries caused Cordelia to jerk out of Angel’s arms. She rolled her eyes as Gabriel held her head and moaned.
“Please tell me I wasn’t like this drama queen?” she snorted.
“Actually, Cordy, you mostly fell on your ass unless Angel caught you.” Gunn coughed.
“Sure, but did I WHINE?”
Gabriel sniffled blinking her eyes. “It hurts.”
“Get over it. You’re half demon.” Cordelia backed away from Angel her eyes still shooting daggers at the other woman.
“You’re mean.” Gabriel held the back of her hand to her forehead.
Wesley stood in front of Cordelia blocking her merging retort. “Gabby, the vision?”
Gabriel sniffled and blinked her wide eyes towards Angel. “A Nexial Demon is about to attack a play ground. Angel you have to go.”
Angel’s confused expression returned. He looked from the blonde to Wesley finally resting on the angry countenance of Cordelia.
“It’s daylight, not quite getting the whole Angel is a vampire thing are you?” Cordelia huffed.
“It’s in a daycare, inside.” Gabriela shot back.
“Then it’s not a playground. It’s a day care. Say what you saw. Geez. Or were you planning to get Angel killed too.”
“It wasn’t my fault. Tell her to stop blaming me.” Gabriel scooted to Wesley’s side.
“Now Cordy, you know it was just a mistake.”
“Right, Wesley. Laval Demon, the blob with the squishy head and harmless flippers for hands” Cordelia flapped her hands in the air. “Vs. Lexial, the blob with the squishy head and 10 inch razor blades for hands.” Cordelia make a quick karate chop in the air. “A common mistake, just like her failing to mention that she saw it show up in my room.”
“I didn’t see it in the hotel. And it was a mistake.” Gabriel defended. “Any way, it was killed.”
“Not before it killed me.”
“Big Deal, you’re alive aren’t you.”
“It HURT.”
“You shouldn’t have gotten in its way.”
“It attacked me, you ….you…” Cordelia slammed her jaws shut cutting off her retort.
“It wasn’t my fault.” Gabriel returned her expression to her pretty pout.
“Then whose was it? Can’t answer that can you? Pfft.” Cordelia crossed her arms against her chest and glared. Cordelia had been willing to let her retorts stay silent but that was too much to stay quiet on.
Hmmph. Gabby ho. She’d say it out loud but then she would have to listen to Wesley’s lectures out being nice to the ‘poor’ GABBY HO. Cordelia hmmphed again. When exactly did she let other people shut her up. Oh, right when she started to care about them and they returned the favor. Some day, Wesley would owe her big.
“Yoa, the big bad, day care maybe we should go?” Gunn hunched over trying as he had for the last few months to stay out of the arguments that erupted whenever Gabby had a vision, but at the same time hoping to bring focus to the fact that there was a demon or such to kill.
Wesley nodded and looked around his gaze resting on Angel. The vampire after one stunned look at Gabriel having a vision was now staring at Cordelia, his expression unreadable. “Gunn and I will go.”
“It’s Angel’s vision.” Gabriel insisted.
“Yes, of course, but, I’m sure Gunn and I can handle it and Angel I think needs to say here a talk to Cordy, which means Cordelia you’re staying put. Possibly, Duncan may…”
“Wesley, we’ve had this ‘discussion’ before.” Cordelia glared, her tone biting.
“Yes, but then Angel wasn’t here, you aren’t going.” Wesley countered confidently.
“What difference does that make, I haven’t suddenly become helpless.” Cordelia retorted.
“No, but you need to talk to Angel about what has happened. He needs to know.”
Cordelia perked up. “I know, Wesley, you stay and talk, that’s what you’re good at. I’ll go. I’m better at the fighting thing than you now.”
“Cordelia.” Wesley said sternly.
“Cordelia,” Duncan stood off to the side studying the vampire watching Cordelia.
Cordelia looked up to the Immortal. “I hate it when Wesley uses that voice, he should’ve been a schoolmarm, all ancient, condescending and disapproving. Yuk.”
“Stay,” Duncan chuckled. “I’ll go with them. Methos?”
“What? No way. I’m not a hero, don’t want to be one. Not going.”
“Get your sword. I’ll be down in a minute. Cordy,” Duncan held out her sword.
“Oh, thanks.” She scrunched up her nose at the Immortal. “Duncan, are you sure?”
Duncan gently placed a hand on her shoulder giving a soft caress. “I’m sure.”
“Okay, but duck.”
Duncan chuckled and went upstairs.
“What kinda of demon is this again?”
“Nexial”
“Great. You’ll are going to me killed.” Methos sighed and went back into Wesley’s office to get his jacket and sword.
“Fred, would you…” Wesley called over his shoulder as he and Gunn headed for the weapons cabinet.
“I’ll pull it up on the computer.” She turned towards Gabriel, “You’re coming with me,” tugging at the blonde.
“I want to stay here.” Gabby dug her heels in.
“Well, you’re not.” Fred pulled harder.
“Angel should be going on my vision, he’s the champion.”
“He just got home and he has to talk to Cordy so come on.” Fred yanked more.
“Ow.” Gabriel pouted. “Angel,” the blonde woman called.
“Who is she?” Angel’s gaze became confused again.
“What? You missed the part where she whined about getting a vision for her champion- you. Oh right. You’re dense. ” Cordelia grumbled smacking the point of her sword to the ground.
The sound of the metal hitting the tile brought Angel’s eyes back to Cordelia. He’d worry about his supposed new seer later. What mattered was in front him. Angel’s hand shot out taking the sword from Cordelia. “Why,” he started, then stopped, examining the weapon closer. “Where did you get this?”
Cordelia snatched the sword back. “So, how was trip your trip? Was…Are you all right? You look good.”
Angel took the sword again. “Cordelia.”
“Angel, the trip. You went who knows where to…well, grieve for Buffy. You’re now back does that mean you’re okay. I mean, of course you’re not okay okay, but are you sort of okay.” Cordelia made another attempt to get her sword but the vampire moved it away too quickly from her reach.
“I was okay until I entered the lobby and fell into the Twilight Zone. What’s going on? Why do all these strangers seem to be very familiar with my hotel?”
Cordelia sighed and then huffed. “Because they been living here pretty much since you left. Three months and twenty-eight days ago. Duncan and Methos moved in about a week or so afterward. Gabby bounced in a couple weeks later.”
“Okay, lets start there. Who are Duncan and Methos and why did they move in, why were you sparring with Duncan and where did you get this sword?”
“I’ll tell you about me,” Gabriel darted out from behind the counter. “I’m…”
Fred shot up from her computer, grabbing at the blonde. “I told you to stay over here.”
“But, Angel has questions. “The blonde tried squirming out of Fred’s tightening grip. “Ow. You’re hurting me.”
“Did you hear him ask you any questions? No. So shut up.” Cordelia shot over Angel’s shoulder.
“You heard Cordy,” Fred tugged.
“But I work for the Powers, she doesn’t I should be answering his questions. He’s my CHAMPION.”
“Arggh.” Cordy scrunched up her face in distaste. “I’m SO sick of that word.”
Angel caught Cordelia by the forearm. “We’re going upstairs and YOU are going to answer my questions.
“Told you.” Fred whispered harshly. “Sit down and stay put. Wesley wants me to call him when I finish categorizing the demon’s weakness, I can’t do that if you keep talking.” Fred glared and returned to her computer.
***
Cordelia held back as Angel pushed her up the stairs. “Upstairs? Like, upstairs as in your room?” Cordelia chewed on her lip, turning to face the vampire standing on the lower step.
“Yes.”
“How about the basement instead.” Cordelia suggested hopefully.
“Cordy,” Angel pushed at the young woman.
“Oh, all right, but don’t get mad.” Cordelia walked backwards up the stairs. “I didn’t know you were coming back today.” She slightly slapped at the vampire as Angel kept urging her upward.
“You should’ve called, sent a telegram, gave me some warning, something. But, no, you couldn’t do that could you? You just had to show up. You should’ve called.”
“Cordelia.” Angel pushed her to the doorway of his suite.
“Okay, but don’t get mad, you should’ve called and warned me.” Cordelia repeated biting her lower lip and opened the door. “You would’ve never known.”
Angel stopped in the entrance. Clothes were everywhere. Not his clothes, his gaze narrowed as Cordelia moved and quickly threw the comforter over something black. Angel moved flinging the blanket back. His shirt. His black silk shirt saturated with Cordelia’s scent, like the whole room.
Cordelia stood beside the bed, her eyes searching the air at all points except where the vampire was standing. “It’s comfortable.” She shrugged in explanation.
Angel turned taking in more of his room. Shoes littered the floor and Angel knew without a doubt, none of the heels were his just as he knew that the makeup and brushes, lotions and perfumes that cluttered up every inch of his dresser weren’t his either.
Angel moved to the bathroom.
“Angel, um, you don’t want to go in there.”
Angel looked down at the dirty towel he stepped on, then at the ones thrown over the toilet with his robe. A hair dryer was plugged into the socket over the sink. The sink was full of more lotions, cotton balls and hair thingies. He turned to the bathtub. The shower curtain was scrunched up against the wall allowing him to see the oils, shampoos, and more lotions scattered on the porcelain edge. Angel blinked, at the lacy garments hanging up on the shower rod.
Cordelia darted past the motionless vampire, pulling her bras down hiding them behind her back. “Drying in them in machine ruins them.” she shrugged.
Angel stepped out of the bathroom and looked again at his main room. He’d lived with Cordelia before and he never saw her apartment look like this.
Cordy cleared her throat. “Dennis picks up at my place.” She answered Angel’s unspoken thought.
“Oh.” Angel dropped to his bed, only to jump back up. He pulled the blanket some more to reveal a shoe.
Cordy snatched the shoe. “I was looking for that. Thanks.” she tossed in the pile of shoes already jumbled up around Angel’s closet. “You’ve should’ve called.”
“From the beginning, please.” Angel sat back down on the bed.
“You sure you don’t want to talk about your trip? Or how about go downstairs and get some blood. You hungry? Oops, we don’t have any fresh. I know, you could go get some. You should’ve called. This will all be gone when you get back.” Cordy pulled at the vampire.
“It’s too late. I’ve already seen it. From the beginning.”
“Oh, all right. You’re not too mad are you?”
Angel just looked up at the young woman. Honestly, he didn’t know what he thought or felt. Everything was too bizarre. Fred saying Cordelia had died, but was alive, which Angel had to agree with, Cordelia was definitely alive and in front of him and obviously spending most if not all her time in his room, the strangers in the lobby who seem to be living in the hotel, one that claimed to be his seer and another that seemed to be teaching Cordelia how to fight with a sword and going on his visions. Angel looked down at the sword in his hand.
“Where did you get this?”
“That’s not really the beginning.” Cordelia sat down next to the vampire.
Angel nodded for her to continue. He needed somehow to understand how everything changed so much.
“Well, quick version. I died. Gorgons. But I lived. I do that now. Live when I die, I mean. Because I’m an Immortal. Heal fast too faster than you. Duncan and Methos came because they wanted a book that Wesley bought and because they knew when they saw me in the magic shop, before I got acquainted with the Gorgon, I mean, that I was pre-immortal. Actually, Methos was the only one that sensed it. Duncan and Methos are also Immortal but a lot older. Duncan’s 450 and Methos is 5000. Anyway, I lived they told everyone and me why I lived. I’m staying here,” she waved around the room
“because it’s the most comfortable in the hotel and Wesley and Gunn wouldn’t let me go with Duncan to Paris, and well, I didn’t want to go and they wouldn’t let me stay in my apartment alone with Duncan because they didn’t trust him at first. So, we all are staying here. Of course, they trust him now and Methos too, but it just seemed easier to all stay here and Fred likes all the company. Duncan wouldn’t leave because he wanted to make sure that I knew the rules and how to use a sword, Methos….I’m not sure why he stayed except he won’t leave. I mean he’s helped and all but reluctantly. Though, he and Wesley seem to get along really well talking books and old stuff.
Anyway, I wasn’t getting the visions, I thought it was because you were gone and the Powers decided to give me a break, Wesley thought it was because the neutron damage that the visions caused cured, Methos thought it was because the Powers and Immortals don’t mix, Gabriel said when she showed up that it was because I died and the visions went to her because she was supposed to get them from Doyle in the first place.” Cordelia peered at Angel.
“She said she and her family were part of the group that Doyle saved from the Scourge, that he was supposed to pass them to her then, but didn’t. That me getting them was a mistake and shouldn’t have happened that human’s weren’t meant to get them. Whatever. She’s your seer, I’m not.”
“What neutron damage?”
“It’s not important. I’m perfectly healthy now.” Cordelia amazed that out all she rambled that was the one thing the vampire focused on, the one thing she hadn’t wanted to get into.
“But you weren’t before you ‘died'”
Cordelia shrugged. “Like I said not important, not an issue.”
“You were dying because of the visions and were saved because you did die?”
“I guess. Yeah.”
“When did you know this?”
“That I was Immortal? I told you.”
“No that you were dying because of the visions.”
“It doesn’t matter, Angel. I’m not dying now; I don’t have the visions anymore. Though, I don’t see why I couldn’t have kept them. Any coldness stuff would have been cured before my head exploded and even if it did, as long as it didn’t blow my head off my shoulders, I’d be fine.”
“Head….you….” Angel took a deep breath. “How long have you known?”
“I told you it doesn’t….”
“Cordelia.”
Cordelia glanced up not at all deceived by the softness of Angel’s tone. “I first went to the doctors about 8-9 months ago.”
“You didn’t…”
“Angel, you weren’t around remember, beigey stuff and all. Not real communicative with your vengeance and blonde obsessing going on.”
“You could’ve….later…”
“I….Pylea, Buffy, there wasn’t really a good time. It doesn’t matter, Angel, it’s over. I’m fine.”
“It does too matter. I thought you trusted me, that we were friends. You should’ve told me as soon as you knew.”
“Again, you weren’t around.”
“I would’ve…”
“Yeah, right.” Cordelia rolled her eyes.
“Cordy, I would’ve…”
“How quickly they forget.” Cordelia got up from the bed. “You weren’t listening to anyone much less being the concerned friend type that I would want to confide in. Just drop it.”
Angel stared after the young woman. His guilt merged into his anger taking over. “Did you tell Wesley?” He asked in a sudden thought ready to be angry again if she had- no matter how unreasonable that made him sound.
“No. I didn’t tell anybody. Can we drop it now? It’s a non-issue.”
Angel slowly nodded. Angel glanced down noticing the tightness of his grip on Cordelia’s sword. He was surprised that he hadn’t broken it. “Where did you get this, it’s well made.” Studying the weapon closer, his eyes narrowing on the sun design embedded in the hilt.
“Duncan. He had it made for me. Said the one I was going to use was too heavy and short for me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, he said it just was. Antonio, he made the sword, said so too. He measured me and everything.”
“Why, do you need a sword specially made for you and why did Macleod get one for you.”
“Well, he knew Antonio and one that fit’s your grip and arm-length is better. Geez.”
“Why do you need a sword?”
“It’s hard to fight with one if you don’t have one.”
“Cordelia, you’re being obtuse on purpose.”
“I’m answering your questions, I told you everything. Geez. I told you I wanted to learn to defend myself.”
“Yes. But you didn’t wait for me to train you, what’s the hurry now, why won’t Macleod leave before you learn to use a sword, why the special sword. I saw you and you’re learning more than just to defend yourself, you’re learning to kill.”
“I AM NOT learning to kill. I’m not killing anyone. I’m not, I’m just learning to defend myself in case…”
“In case of what, Cordelia? You said something about rules. What does being an Immortal mean other than the obvious so don’t bother the most those answers.”
Strike her earlier thought. This was the discussion she really didn’t want to have with the vampire. Cordelia blew out a deep breath and sat back down.
“Immortals are beings, not demons not mortals, just I don’t know, but the only way we can be killed permanently is chopping off our heads and…Well, it sounds stupid, and I’m not playing the game, BUT there supposedly is this game, the Gathering where the last Immortal alive gets the power from all of the others. But to get to that point where there is only one left you have to kill all the other Immortals. Duncan and Methos say that not all Immortals want to wait until the Gathering creates a big old cosmic free for all, that they hunt other Immortals to challenge and kill before then. The rules are the rules on how to do that and how to survive.”
Angel got up. “Other Immortals are going to come hunting for your head?”
“So far none have. I think maybe Methos and Duncan are exaggerating.”
“No one going to challenge you or take your head.”
“Well, I hope not.” Cordelia agreed.
“I won’t let that happen.”
Cordelia studied the vampire and his tense stance. “If it does you won’t have a choice in the matter. It’s in the rules. If I’m challenged I- me- no one else,” she pointed to her chest. “Have two choices run or fight and no one can fight for me or interfere.”
“Bull shit.”
“Angel, you can’t. It’s in the rules.”
“I don’t care I about your asinine rules. Anybody that comes for your head is dead.”
“Well I do care.” Cordelia faced the vampire.
“You said the game was stupid that you weren’t going to play.”
“I know and I will try to avoid it, but I won’t break the rules. If I do, then I’ll really be screwed because the other Immortals won’t have to follow them with me and I’ll die.”
“Anybody comes here for your head, I’ll kill them. It’s that simple and that’s MY rule.”
Cordelia shook her head. “I’ll leave then.”
“What?”
“There’s no reason for me to stay in LA. Duncan wanted me to go to Paris with him. Hell, Methos has been dying to get out of here from day one. I don’t have the visions, so you don’t need me for your mission, you have Gabriel. And I can’t stay here and worry about you interfering.”
“You’re not leaving.”
“You don’t need me to stay.”
“This isn’t about the damn visions. You can’t go. You’re….we’re your family. You can’t leave …us. You promised.”
“I promised YOU when I had the visions, when I was a part of your mission, when you needed me. You don’t anymore. I haven’t decided anything yet. But, I won’t consider staying if you don’t promise NOT to interfere if I do get challenged.” Cordelia’s angry gaze held Angel’s.
“Fine. Let’s go.” He threw the sword.
Cordelia caught it easily. “Where?”
“Basement. I won’t interfere but I’m training you not Duncan. You’re an Immortal fine. You’ve got a Game to play- Fine. I will make sure that you know what to do with this fancy sword.”
“I do. Duncan’s one of the best swordsman. He…”
“Are you coming?” Angel strode for the door.
“Sure.” Cordelia slowly followed.
Angel turned quickly causing Cordelia to bounce into him. “Whose idea was it to put your tattoo on the sword.”
“Uh.”
“The sun.” he pointed to the sword in her hand.
“Oh you recognized it. I didn’t think the thing was so noticeable.” Cordelia turned to look down at her tattoo. “It was Antonio. He said it made it unique to me. He did a pretty good job don’t you think.” Cordelia swiveled her backside pulling up her shirt to give Angel a better view.
Angel stared at the sun, his dark gaze traveled down the curve of Cordelia’s spine stopping on where the elastic of her workout pants hid the swell of her bottom, barely noticing the ink drawn lines.
“Yes.” he said tightly.
Cordelia turned and dropped her shirt. “Wesley said he was a genius.”