{"id":10471,"date":"2016-11-14T13:10:33","date_gmt":"2016-11-14T13:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=10471"},"modified":"2016-11-14T15:00:04","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T15:00:04","slug":"season-of-solace-133","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2016\/11\/14\/season-of-solace-133\/","title":{"rendered":"Season of Solace. 133"},"content":{"rendered":"
133: \u00a0 \u00a0 The Study, Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Charred brown flecks cracked and crumbled as Cordelia turned the pages of the old book. Scarred by the fire, its leather cover was now blackened beyond repair, but the ancient myths of the Old Ones remained preserved inside. Only the outer edges were fried, much like her nerves at the moment.<\/p>\n

Choosing to help Wesley with research rather than going back to the basement for Round Two with Angel was supposed to help her put things into perspective. Keeping her locked up in the mansion for her protection had seemed like a good idea at one time, but that was before she realized what that meant.<\/p>\n

No entertainment, no shopping, no hanging out at the Bronze.<\/p>\n

Angel just needed to come to his senses. Protection was one thing, but keeping his own girlfriend under lock and key was taking it one step too far. Sure he had her best interests at heart. Why did those interests have to come at the expense of her having a life?<\/p>\n

The details of their fight were a little fuzzy. Oh, there was the usual finger pointing and foot stomping. A shriek or two of frustration. Outright anger. And that was just Angel.<\/p>\n

Okay. So maybe it was mostly her.<\/p>\n

Doing a good impression of a granite slab, Angel wasn\u2019t budging on his decision that the best way to protect her from becoming the next no-longer-a-Virgin Sacrifice was to never let her see the light of day again. Or the dark of night, for that matter. She was virtually under house arrest until this whole prophecy thing blew over.<\/p>\n

The words \u2018totally unfair\u2019 came to mind. Where was the fairness to be found when the bad guys had the freedom and she was practically a prisoner? Yeah. Fairness of the UN variety, that\u2019s what it was.<\/p>\n

Boyfriends were supposed to do what girlfriends wanted. Someone obviously forgot to tell Angel the rules. Guys generally fought over the right to grant her every wish\u2014or avoided her like terrified two year olds. If she wanted something, one snap of her fingers was all it took. Sometimes she didn\u2019t even have to snap.<\/p>\n

Maybe she\u2019d lost her touch.<\/p>\n

Nah.<\/p>\n

This was Angel, not a geek from the AV club. And it wasn\u2019t like he wasn\u2019t totally into her. Believing it made her insides melt every time she thought about it. There were times when Angel would do anything for her, but this obviously wasn\u2019t one of them. Talking him into giving her a taste of freedom was far different than convincing a few nerds to set up the music system at a party they weren\u2019t invited to attend.<\/p>\n

Nothing worked. Honesty and a straight explanation got her nowhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cAngel, I\u2019m tired of staring at these walls. I need to get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were halfway through another session of Tai Chi moves when Cordelia broke form to make her point. Angel smoothly continued through the motions. \u201cYou\u2019re the one who wanted training. Finish this set and then you can try some hand-to-hand defensive moves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can do this later. Right now, I want to do something else. Anything that doesn\u2019t involve demons and prophesies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silent during the next movement, Angel completed it before looking her way. \u201cYou could read. I have some really good books. Classics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not what she had in mind. \u201cAs tempting as joining your book club sounds, I think I\u2019ll pass. I meant going somewhere. As in not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clearly, Angel saw nothing wrong with seeing the same people day after day. Or the fact that the view never changed. Monotony somehow came across as a positive for him. How wrong was she to think some of that had changed when they formed Team Chase and started expanding his horizons.<\/p>\n

Out of pure frustration she elbowed the heavy punching bag hanging down from the ceiling and glared at the peeling paint along the basement walls. \u201cYou don\u2019t get it. I want to go outside, to see the sky, to go have a little fun. C\u2019mon, Angel, just you and me. No watchers or slayers or sidekicks around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting a halt to his routine, Angel shook his head. \u201cWe can\u2019t, Cordy. Please try to be patient. It\u2019s just a few more weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

He might as well have said months. \u201cGah!\u201d<\/p>\n

Reeling back, she ran her hands through her hair mussing it up, muttering to herself that it was impossible to live through such torture for one week much less more. \u201cDo you have any idea what it\u2019s like to live in the same place as your boyfriend\u2019s ex?\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel cleared his throat as she kept on ranting.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Cordelia paused as she paced past. \u201cI guess you do, but Xander doesn\u2019t count the same as Buffy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel wisely said nothing.<\/p>\n

Leaning in close, Cordelia walked her fingers up one of his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. \u201cI miss doing stuff together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take Angel\u2019s sexy voice to hint at what he meant. Cordelia snorted, \u201cI meant stuff we can do in public.\u201d She caught the tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth and poked him in the stomach as she moved away. \u201cNot that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eighteen year old girls had basic needs other than hot boyfriends. Angel just didn\u2019t understand that denying her access to the mall was like cutting off his blood supply. She needed it to survive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a buzz of energy that made the place hum. The smell of new clothes. Shiny new jewelry. Cash registers making that cha-ching sound.\u201d Cordelia tried to describe some of the things she loved. \u201cHey, you like those strawberry-kiwi smoothies. Let\u2019s go get one of those tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know we can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia wasn\u2019t about to take that for an answer. \u201cIt\u2019s easy. I\u2019ll even let you drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since Angel still had the keys to the Plymouth it wasn\u2019t going to be difficult. \u201cForget it, Cordy. You know it\u2019s impossible. Nicolau isn\u2019t going to miss any chance you give him. Going out will only put you in danger and I won\u2019t let that happen. It\u2019s for your own good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Petulant, she crossed her arms. \u201cI\u2019ll be the judge of what\u2019s good for me. Right now, I want to go out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel didn\u2019t bother to answer. Growing impatience tightened his jaw.<\/p>\n

So the mall was obviously out. Maybe he didn\u2019t like the smoothies as much as she thought. Cordelia figured there had to be something they could do together that would keep them under Nicolau\u2019s radar. Though for the life of her she didn\u2019t get why he thought anyone organizing a demon ritual would have time to go shopping.<\/p>\n

A smile lit her face as an alternative came to mind. \u201cWhat about the movies? We had a great time at the movies. You could take me. That would be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not according to Mr. I\u2019ve Been to One Movie in the Last Thirty Years. Annoyed by the suggestion, Angel pointed out, \u201cTheaters are dark. There are distractions. People.\u201d<\/p>\n

She tried negotiating. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t even have to be Keanu\u2019s new movie.\u201d A forlorn sigh emerged, her shoulders slumping dramatically. \u201cEven if it did sound really great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peeking upward, Cordelia saw that Angel\u2019s expression remained stony. She bristled and muttered, \u201cYou don\u2019t want to go because you\u2019re jealous that I like him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProve it. Take me to the movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not going to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Borrowing Buffy\u2019s doe-eyed pouting technique even failed to win him over. \u201cCordy, it\u2019s not safe. Forget it.\u201d A thread of irritation crept into his response. \u201cI\u2019m tired of talking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going out. End of discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia\u2019s mouth tightened up realizing that she was dealing with a guy who had no understanding whatsoever of what it was like to be deprived of everything. She had to make it clear that her problems were also his problems. If she was going to be cruelly deprived of the necessities in life, she was going to fall apart physically as well as mentally.<\/p>\n

Grabbing a handful of her hair, she lifted it toward him. \u201cDo you see this? I found a split end this morning. My hair is not used to this kind of abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n

The basement light made her normally shiny tresses look dull in her opinion helping her make her point. Contrary to what she knew about enhanced vampire vision, the stubborn vampire standing in front of her did not see it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbuse?\u201d<\/p>\n

From the look on his face she could tell that he was remembering stocking up on her favorite shampoo and conditioner. \u201cJust one trip to the salon,\u201d she pleaded. \u201cIt won\u2019t take long. Just a few hours,\u201d she tagged on as fast as she could hoping he wouldn\u2019t notice. \u201cI need a manicure, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

It would probably take what was left of her last paycheck, but it would be worth it. Oh, the glorious pampering of a real salon. Not the cheapo hair chopping shop down the block from April Fools. The one that charged $12.95 for a shampoo, cut and blow dry. Tip not included. The memory of the recent humiliation of digging through her purse for change instead of whipping out a credit card gave her the wiggins.<\/p>\n

Angel rocked back on his heels and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snapping back to his response, Cordelia could not understand it. \u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am beginning to wonder if you know the meaning to that word.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not when it worked against her. \u201cI\u2019m more of a yes person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ve got something new for your vocabulary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a haircut,\u201d Cordelia underplayed the extent of her plans. Maybe he was just terrified of the idea of going with her. \u201cC\u2019mon, I won\u2019t be alone. I\u2019ll take both slayers. We\u2019ll have a Ladies Day Out. God knows Buffy could use a good stylist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Either she was slowly wearing him down or he was pissed that she mentioned Buffy. Angel\u2019s nostrils flared, his brows furrowing. \u201cYou plan to risk your life over a haircut.\u201d Nope, he was just plain mad.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just any haircut.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk one of the girls to do it\u2014Faith, maybe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia snorted, \u201cJust because she\u2019s good with sharp objects does not mean I\u2019ll let her anywhere near my hair. You\u2019re being ridiculous, Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe? Last time I checked I wasn\u2019t slated to be a sacrifice at a demon ritual.\u201d Lashing out suddenly, he made her jerk back in surprise. \u201cThis is stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not being stupid,\u201d Cordelia stormed back and poked him in the chest before she walked off again. Whirling back around, her hair settled wildly around her shoulders. \u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019m asking you to go to the Bronze.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel denied calling her stupid. She ignored his excuses in favor of saying, \u201cThere\u2019s no point. You still can\u2019t dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t about me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s about me,\u201d she countered. In hindsight, there was definitely shrieking. \u201cIt\u2019s about me having some shred of a life. Unlike some people around here, I\u2019m not a corpse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel\u2019s poker face vanished, barely restrained fury suddenly twisting at the edges of his control. He prowled forward, crowding into her space, muscles twitching to let his human mask fall away. Gold-rimmed eyes gleamed for an instant before darkening again as he got it together, balancing his anger on a fine edge.<\/p>\n

Right there with him, she stayed in his face too, not giving him an inch that he did not have to earn. He had no idea how stubborn she could be. It was mean of him not to let her go out. She would find a way to convince him\u2014or take matters into her own hand even if she had to face down his demon to do it.<\/p>\n

Energy coursed through her spreading out until a million tingles starburst across her skin. Anyone else would find him terrifying. Not her. Not even when he dropped the silent, brooding routine and all that testosterone took over. A moth in front of a flickering flame could not be more willing to be singed. Her heart pounded in her chest, anger and excitement building as he moved one inch closer. So close that she could feel the rasp of his cotton shirt against hers with each ragged breath she took.<\/p>\n

She had made a point. He had to get it.<\/p>\n

Freedom, even a little, would keep her sane in this den of chaos. \u201cI\u2019m tired of being shut up inside this mausoleum.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, no plan to tie me to our bed this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia shivered because the idea sounded almost like a challenge. His hand closed around her jaw tilting her face up to his. Mouth inches from her lips, he growled out a dark promise. \u201cIf that\u2019s what it takes. Until the threat is over, you\u2019re staying put.\u201d<\/p>\n

He had no right to give her orders. Blood pounded in her ears to the tune of her fury equaling anything he dished out with those vampiric vibes. One hard slap to his wrist loosened his hold. With a jerk of her head and a hard shove to his chest, she gained an inch of space. \u201cLast time I checked there was no \u2018Property of Angel\u2019 stamp on my ass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEasily fixed,\u201d quipped Angel cryptically, a ruthless twist to his mouth. \u201cThough that wasn\u2019t exactly the spot I had in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Momentarily confused, she could not tell if that was some kind of threat or a come on. \u201cWhatever. No, on second thought, you can kiss my ass goodbye because I\u2019m outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calgon, take me away<\/em>. She opted for a strategic retreat. Not because she was giving up. No way. It was not like she needed his permission to go out.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t walk out on this conversation, Cordy. It\u2019s not over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halfway to the stairs, she made the mistake of turning back to him again. \u201cOh, it\u2019s over. Way past over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunnydale and all the crap it handed her lately suddenly spewed out like an upchuck after a frat part. Inevitable. With his newfound and annoying habit of being there for her whether she wanted it or not, Angel was standing in its direct path. Ground zero.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy stop at walking out the door? I should keep going. Just leave town. Go so far nobody in this hellhole will ever find me.\u201d<\/p>\n

It did not matter that she meant Sunnydale in general or Nicolau and his cronies. For some reason Angel took it personally. That patented control vanished as the knife-edge he had been teetering on cut it to shreds. Too late, the warning signals started flashing. A distinct, \u2018Oh, crap!\u2019 ran through her mind the instant before his mouth crushed hers.<\/p>\n

Desperation filled his kiss. Angry and possessive, it felt emotional in ways that Angel never showed on the surface. His fingers tangled tightly in her hair denying escape. Red starbursts filled the darkness as her eyes slammed shut, kissing him back with equal fury. Fighting tooth and nail to make her point she wasn\u2019t going to let him get away with kissing her into submission.<\/p>\n

He was a rock wall, holding her to him with only the pressure of that one hand, and impossible to budge. Cordelia grabbed his shoulders, intending to force him to stop, but then just holding on as his lips firmly swiped across hers. Capturing them, again and again, one kiss melded into another.<\/p>\n

Barely given the time to breathe, she moaned furiously, the sound smothered by the instant assault of his tongue seeking entry. Caught between anger and wanting him, she clasped his head, nails curling into his scalp, holding on now rather than pushing away, body slamming into his.<\/p>\n

Her breasts pushed into his hard chest, hips shifting for their comfort zone, tummy rubbing against him. Melting, she nearly gave into it, opening up to his kiss. His free hand slid the length of her spine stroking a line of heat along with it. Making her wet as her body instantly reacted to his touch. Not now! That pissed her off more than anything. Knowing he would sense her response and give him the completely wrong idea that he was winning.<\/p>\n

Without even thinking about it, Cordelia gnashed her teeth together against his lower lip. A grunt sounded from Angel. The coppery taste of blood lashed over her tongue. A spark of triumph filled her followed by the sudden shock of what she had done. They drew apart sharply, staring at each other.<\/p>\n

Trembling inwardly from anger and pent up need, she stumbled back out of his arms as he released her. Defiant, there was no apology coming from her. That bite was so totally his fault, even though she did not understand it.<\/p>\n

Angel did not touch his lip to wipe away the blood. He did not lick it away. She watched a drop well to the surface quickly congealing to close the wound. He stood dark eyed and staring, shoulders tense, looking at her like he wanted to return the favor. Lust and curiosity made her wonder what it would be like to let him.<\/p>\n

It was all she could do to stop herself from jumping his very un-corpse-like bones. He had left her breathless, gasping for air, and unable to remember exactly what she\u2019d said that set him off<\/p>\n

Unlike her, he had no problem speaking. The threatening tone peeled away into raw hurt. \u201cDon\u2019t even think about it. You\u2019re not leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sensed rather than heard the \u2018me\u2019 at the end. You are not leaving me<\/em>. Shocked at the thought of it, Cordelia cringed. Where had he even gotten such a crazy idea? She was still ticked off. Mad enough to make him think it was possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re my boyfriend, Angel, not my jailor, and I am leaving\u2014 but only to take a bath.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia distinctly recalled the rubberiness of her legs as she made her exit. Kind of tough to stomp dramatically up the stairs when you could barely stand upright. Angel let her go much to her surprise. She half expected him to come after her and spent most of her bath planning what she would say when he showed up looking all broody and apologetic.<\/p>\n

Only Angel never came upstairs. He stayed down in the basement, which was a good thing, she supposed. If he had shown up when she was in the tub, they probably would have ended up having sex. Cordelia spent the rest of her bath time trying to figure out what positions people used when they did it in the tub. When Angel did not show up, it only fueled her frustration with him and the situation.<\/p>\n

So, she had bypassed the entrance to the basement upon coming back downstairs in favor of heading for the study where Wesley was holed up to search for clues about the Rites of Tavrok.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou volunteered for research duty,\u201d Cordelia muttered while wiping traces of ash from her fingertips onto the cloth draped over her lap. Though a little dirt beat demon dismemberment and dumpster duty any day, she conceded, even that might seem preferable to another week of confinement in the mansion.<\/p>\n

After staring at an inked sketch of a random demon for five minutes and comparing it to Principal Snyder\u2019s gnomish appearance, only with claws and a seriously wicked set of teeth, Cordelia concluded that, \u201cThis totally sucks.\u201d Now she was getting nostalgic for school, a sure sign that she had been cooped up way too long.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm?\u201d Wesley lifted his head from where it was buried in research. \u201cDo try to focus on the details, Cordelia. It is imperative that we identify the precise set of symbols.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now Wes was even starting to sound like Principal Snyder. All work and no play. With the gang at school for the day and Faith off on some assignment, the only other people in the mansion beside Wesley and Angel were Dru and Spike. Things were not quite boring enough to pop upstairs for a spontaneous visit. Tea and crumpets with Dru would not be quite the same with Spike leering and making lewd comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you should tell me what \u2018sucks\u2019 so we can get on with our studies.\u201d Wesley apparently overheard more than she thought.<\/p>\n

Research might not be much fun, but it was better than wallowing in self-pity, and she was not about to share the details of her argument with Angel. Covering quickly, she pointed to the drawing in the book. \u201cThis demon,\u201d she held it out for him to see, \u201cit sucks the blood of its victims.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley\u2019s eyes narrowed behind his glasses. \u201cYes, I believe that would be a vampire. You might have heard of them,\u201d he added drolly.<\/p>\n

\u201cA vampire?\u201d Cordelia glanced back at the carefully inked sketch. All skin and bone, with huge eyes, big fangs and razor sharp claws it wasn\u2019t the least bit familiar, except for reminding her of Principal Snyder. \u201cI\u2019ve seen plenty of vampires and they don\u2019t look like this.\u201d More importantly, \u201cAngel doesn\u2019t look like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

She held up the book again. After a moment of study, Wes concluded, \u201cI believe that is either a form of proto-vampire or an ancient one. Old vampires tend to revert to a demonic state over time, their human characteristics fading.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia stared at the book again. Angel was pretty old for a vampire, but certainly did not look like the creature in that drawing. She had always assumed that Angel would look young and hot forever. Her stomach turned flip-flops.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo how old is old for a vampire, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

Trying to sound disinterested about it got her nowhere. Wesley dropped his attention back to his research before answering, \u201cOh, somewhere around two-fifty. The hair is the first to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? That\u2019s almost Angel\u2019s age\u2014,\u201d Cordelia gripped the edge of the couch as she imagined her boyfriend withering into a balding old vampire overnight. Then she saw the flush spreading up Wesley\u2019s neck. \u201cThat is so not funny!\u201d<\/p>\n

She was already laughing at the image stuck in her head: arriving at the prom with a decrepit old Angel on her arm. Wesley chuckled when she shared the idea.<\/p>\n

Sobering up, he admitted, \u201cI may have exaggerated the matter a bit. Truly ancient vampires claim nearly a millennium of existence before the years begin to show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was evil.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley grinned as if exceedingly pleased with his joke. Getting her back on task, he suggested, \u201cYou might want to focus on your assignment if you plan to solve this dilemma before it is too late to attend the dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her grin faded. Wow. Miss the prom? The man was just full of great news. The idea had never even occurred to her. That was the whole reason for slaving away at the April Fools Dress Shop all those evenings: to afford a decent dress for the prom.<\/p>\n

Still\u2026<\/p>\n

Why worry about being crowned Prom Queen when she\u2019d already been chosen as the next Miss Sacrificial Lamb at Nicolau\u2019s shindig? Not that she had anything to wear to that, either.<\/p>\n

Cordelia let out a big sigh. \u201cSometimes it sucks to be me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something sounding like a protest coughed from Wesley\u2019s throat. \u201cI very much doubt that. Y-you\u2019re beautiful, funny\u2014and that brilliant smile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Momentarily forgetting her gloom, Cordelia smiled radiantly. \u201cYou\u2019re not so stuffy or uptight as I thought, Wes. I like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs do I\u2014 like you, too,\u201d he cleared his throat before hunkering back down over his research.<\/p>\n

Settling into her comfy spot in the corner of the couch, Cordelia folded her legs up beneath her and readjusted the cover. \u201cBack to the grindstone. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Research is fun. I love my job. Grunge is in.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to the next page of the book, pausing only briefly to make a face at the ash left behind on her fingertips. \u201cEww!\u201d Ornate drawings and colorful symbols made it a little less of a bore to study.<\/p>\n

Very little.<\/em><\/p>\n

Despite Wesley\u2019s pep talk, research did not stand a chance of holding her interest for long. Maybe if the book had been written in English instead of an obscure language requiring her to search for a list of key words. Noooo, it was in ancient Frankenstein or something.<\/p>\n

Whatever.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cordelia honestly tried to stay focused, but the words blurred. Angel\u2019s overprotective rant kept running on instant replay in her head. No going out. No danger. No fun. No life. Maybe he had a few good points, but did that have to involve practically holding her hostage?<\/p>\n

Being stuck at the mansion for the duration was one thing when it was just nighttime hours they were worried about. Now it was daytime, too, thanks to the rule-breaking vampire mojo that let Nicolau schmooze his way around Sunnydale. So now she was a virtual prisoner in her own home. Well, boyfriend\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

No job, no school, no adventure.<\/p>\n

So maybe the job was not that big of a deal\u2014except for the total lack of cash. Who needed money when there was nowhere to spend it? She missed the sun, shopping, and dancing at the Bronze.<\/p>\n

It was impossible to keep up with the latest school gossip. Buffy was not exactly in on the latest 411. It was all slayer stuff with her. Asking Willow meant sifting through the babble. That left Xander, who was surprisingly, a pretty good source of information.<\/p>\n

Angel did not understand that she was not the type of girl he could keep locked away in an ivory tower. She was not some whiny little fraidy cat. It was not as if there were no bodyguards around. Slayers in the daytime. Vampires at night.<\/p>\n

When she had stomped upstairs, Angel had stayed in the basement. The expression on his face served to say that he had no intention of letting her endanger herself by going out anytime soon. Training or no training, he did not want her in harm\u2019s way.<\/p>\n

Knowing that and wanting to live with it were two separate issues. Cordelia was not so keen on the harm\u2019s way bit either, but she was really starting to hate these walls. There was a big difference between feeling safe and smothered.<\/p>\n

Angel had a lot to learn about her if he thought he was going to get away with what he tried to pull today. Okay, so she admitted that there was part of her that adored being protected. Her inner princess loved it. Unfortunately for Angel, her inner bitch possessed that stubborn independent streak.<\/p>\n

No kisses, even those of the Angel kind, were going to convince her to give that up. Whatever it was that happened down in that basement freaked her out a little. This was not the first time an argument ended with them in each other\u2019s arms, but this time it felt like neither one of them was in control. She did not want that happening tonight.<\/p>\n

Deciding to give Angel a chance to apologize for the behavior that led to her biting him, Cordelia made up her mind that if he chose not to say he was sorry that there would be consequences. He could stay down in that basement, no doubt brooding about it, until she finished helping Wes with the research. After that, if he kept up his stubborn ass vamp routine he would end up sleeping on the couch.<\/p>\n

A smirk spread across her face while envisioning Angel all cold and lonely\u2014<\/p>\n

Wait a sec!<\/p>\n

That meant she would be alone, too.<\/p>\n

In that huge bed.<\/p>\n

By herself.<\/p>\n

Her revenge scheme came to a screeching halt realizing that forcing him to stay on the couch was going to deprive her of her new favorite things. This was supposed to be Angel\u2019s punishment. It should not have to be torture for her, too.<\/p>\n

Maybe she would let him off easy\u2014just this one time, only because she was the forgiving type. Throw him for a loop by being nice, not mentioning that power play, and still get to sleep in his arms tonight. Hah! That would show him. Then tomorrow, when he was asleep, she would convince Faith that it was her duty to tag along while she snuck out of the mansion for a little shopping expedition.<\/p>\n

It might be mostly window shopping, but the last place the bad guys would be was the Sunnydale mall. Desperate times called for desperate measures and right now they called for a pair of new Choos.<\/p>\n

Situation resolved, Cordelia dragged her thoughts away from shopping and got back to the research. Wesley assigned her to search for specific key words and symbols. Now that they knew the demon\u2019s name it was easier to find passages linked to the prophecy. Making sense of her findings was his job.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s another one, Wes,\u201d she tapped the page upon recognizing the symbol from the ring. Instead of having her bookmark the page for later study like Giles usually did, he walked over to check it out.<\/p>\n

The couch cushion shifted under his weight as he sat next to her and pulled the book closer across one thigh. She took a moment to study him. Being stuck here in the mansion with everyone must have made it easier to settle in with the group. Minus the suit jacket with his shirtsleeves rolled up, he looked less formal. Though, she could not say, more relaxed.<\/p>\n

She wondered if Faith was really serious about being attracted to him. Cute, brainy guys were not really the slayer\u2019s type according to what she\u2019d told Cordelia. Faith was the hands-on type. But Wes was not just anyone. Being Faith\u2019s new watcher somehow put a kinky little twist into the works.<\/p>\n

Cordelia did not know that much about him except that the Watcher\u2019s Council had sent him here. \u201cI didn\u2019t think anyone knew more than Giles when it comes to this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a compliment, but his shoulders stiffened defensively. Darting a glance toward her, he reminded, \u201cMy studies at the academy were extensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do for fun?\u201d Anyone Faith was remotely interested in would at least have to have a vague sense of the concept, but Wesley\u2019s blank stare suggested that he did not.<\/p>\n

His cheeks and throat reddened. \u201cFrankly, fun wasn\u2019t on the agenda. Not the sort I believe you to mean. We had tournaments to test our physical and mental prowess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d Well that sounded god awful boring. The kind of prowess Faith was interested in would not be tested at a tournament. \u201cWhat about going clubbing? Y\u2019know, music, dancing\u2014any of this sound familiar?\u201d<\/p>\n

Without waiting for him to respond, Cordelia told him, \u201cSunnydale may not be L.A. or London, but we do have one decent club, The Bronze. We should go sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cW-we?\u201d Wesley stuttered over the word. He sat back sharply, the book jack-knifing into the narrow space between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we\u2019ve figured out this prophecy stuff. There\u2019s more to life than demons and vampires, even if you\u2019re a watcher.\u201d Cordelia put a friendly hand on his arm and squeezed it as she added a mesmerizing smile. \u201cI think taking you out would be a great excuse to make Angel\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJealous?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014hit the dance floor. He certainly needs the practice.\u201d Cordelia blinked as Wesley\u2019s interjection caught up with her. She leaned back to stare. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sputtering over getting it wrong, Wesley looked mortified. He gasped, \u201cWhat? Oh, dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought I meant\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you meant\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Behind them, Angel stepped out of the shadows. \u201cYou thought Cordelia meant what, exactly?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley launched himself off the couch before she could even turn her head in Angel\u2019s direction. Trying to minimize the situation before it escalated, he shrugged, \u201cNothing, really, a slight misunderstanding over something hardly worth mentioning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The furrowed brow and tight jaw were a dead giveaway that Angel was not buying it. \u201cCordy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Since she was not going to make Angel sleep on the couch tonight, Cordy decided that it might be a good substitute to let him stew over the situation. \u201cPfft! Relax, Angel. It\u2019s not like I can\u2019t fend off a come-on or two without backup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley\u2019s eyes rounded into large saucers as Angel\u2019s cool glance flicked his way and lingered unblinkingly. Was she deliberately trying to get him killed? Getting oneself caught t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate with a vampire\u2019s girlfriend was not the kind of situation covered at the academy, especially when that vampire was Angelus.<\/p>\n

Considering the territorial behavior he had witnessed over the past week, a strategic withdrawal seemed in order. Wesley wiped the sweat away from his upper lip without realizing it left a trail of black ash behind from his smudged fingertips.<\/p>\n

When Cordelia caught his gaze, she waved a finger at her closed lips. He gave her a subtle conspiratorial nod. Smart girl. She was aware they should say nothing further that might incite the vampire to action. Good plan.<\/p>\n

Trying to remain calm and remember his training for situations that involved facing a hostile enemy, Wesley subtly inched toward the desk where his jacket was draped over the back of a chair. A stake was hidden inside an inner pocket in the event this got out of hand.<\/p>\n

Angel stepped away from the threshold coming to stand directly in front of the desk, easily stripping away the thin veneer of false confidence Wes attempted to project with nothing more than a hard, silent stare. Any hasty movement might result in an attack, and from his field training, he knew that vampires possessed enhanced speed.<\/p>\n

This needed to be resolved peacefully. Stumbling over the words, he tried to explain, \u201cW-We were working together on the translations. Simply talking. Nothing untoward. I made no advances. None. I would never. That would be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuicidal,\u201d Angel put in when Wesley paused to search for the right word.<\/p>\n

As the vampire reached toward him, his hand slipped closer to the hidden stake. Wes felt a firm clap on his shoulder as Angel gave him a rare grin. A mix of confusion and relief flooded him. \u201cYou\u2019re not stupid\u2014and I trust you to treat Cordelia with respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d Lifting his chin a bit higher while staring back, the truth resoundingly clear in his voice, Wesley privately wondered what depths a souled vampire would go in the defense of his mate.<\/p>\n

For it was clear to him that Angel\u2019s attachment to Cordelia Chase was becoming very serious, well beyond simple sexual interest. The consequences of such a relationship nearly always resulted in a bloody, painful end. Obsession and dependency kept the human tied to their vampire lover. Such pairings typically led to the eventual death of the human.<\/p>\n

Having observed Angel since his arrival, and read extensively through the Council file on Angelus, he had to wonder if things were not turned around. Cordelia might think herself to be in love, but in this particular case, the obsessive behavior belonged to the vampire.<\/p>\n

Soul or not, that made Angel unpredictable and dangerous. Considering the dubious nature of prophecy, he wondered how the vampire would respond if saving the world meant sacrificing Cordelia.<\/p>\n

Scene 134<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

133: \u00a0 \u00a0 The Study, Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale Charred brown flecks cracked and crumbled as Cordelia turned the pages of the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-to-be-continued-fic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10471\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}