Part 7<\/b><\/p>\n
Her pace was slow and methodical; walking a hundred miles in her simulated trek, and still no closer to arriving at answers. Gearing up makeshift detective skills, Cordelia replayed the scant fragments of her vision comparing them to her not so sketchy nightmares.<\/p>\n
Always the same; flashing lights, blaring music, and the dancing skanky blonde led her to three possible conclusions. Her nightmares were simply escalating as Angel edged closer, Darla had again been summoned from hell, or she was in the midst of a full-blown mental breakdown and would soon be residing at the psycho ward; rubber-padded room number crazy-8.<\/p>\n
Sharing this bit of news with her friends wasn\u2019t Cordelia\u2019s first choice. Not if the likely scenario included admitting what had happened with Angel. Wesley and Gunn\u2019s biggest obstacle in forgiving the wayward vampire wasn\u2019t the Darla fiasco per say, but that they couldn\u2019t trust him to tell the truth. If they found out she had withheld the truth, would they feel the same way about her?<\/p>\n
This was her own fault, Cordelia reasoned. She had pushed herself into accepting Angel\u2019s return too soon, believing his help would keep Wesley and Gunn safer from harm, and hoping they could find middle ground satisfying both their needs. And now her back was to the wall, and Angel had put it there\u2026again.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cThree days Lorne.\u201d His angry kick caught the underside of the chair, tumbling it over. The force of his heavy boot propelling a wild skid across the room until it stopped short of tensely scrunched toes. \u201cThree fuckin\u2019 days Cordelia\u2019s been barricaded in her apartment. What the hell is going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s sick Angel. It happens; get over it already. The girl is sick and just wants to be left alone until she feels better.\u201d<\/p>\n
He had crossed borderline obsession two days ago as unanswered calls mounted; every waking minute consumed with touching her again. Cordelia had insisted she needed time to herself, citing human ailments as the cause; but his halfhearted promise of space quickly withering, Angel knew it was only a matter of little time before he forced Cordelia\u2019s compliance.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve seen her-I can smell her on you!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I took our little patient some chicken soup, it\u2019s not like I can catch anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither can I, so pour me a cup and I\u2019ll be on my way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJeepers big guy what has you so worked up-and it\u2019s more than being cut off from the princess.\u201d Lorne cringed at the thought, chillingly aware of the last time Angel was so agitated by an unseen force.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Angel slumped against the wall, stiff fingers making a jerky swipe through mussed hair. His skin pricked and tingled, raw nerves beyond taut, and ready to snap. \u201cI\u2019ve been on edge the last couple of days, like waiting for a big bang that never comes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGo home Angel. Drink yourself into a stupor if you have to, but get some sleep.\u201d Lorne ordered, handing Angel a bottle of scotch and shaking a warning finger. \u201cCause you go knocking down doors and you can give this reconciliation a big kiss on its tuchis.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know I liked you better when you were just funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYea, well stop beating up my furniture and I\u2019ll tickle you pink.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel snatched the offered bottle, content to let the angry growl rumble between them. He had laid back and followed Lorne\u2019s rules, as far as anyone knew, but this was asking for more patience than he had to give. He and Cordelia should be sharing private dinners and conversations by now, but the vision had allowed intimate contact Cordelia hadn\u2019t expected, and now her fears were shutting him out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll go back to the hotel for now, but I won\u2019t wait long.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d Lorne called out before the door could close between them.<\/p>\n
Muscles clinched against the halt of his escape; not in the mood for Lorne\u2019s good intentions. Anymore meaningful advice and The Host turned counselor would be taking a sabbatical\u2026with his jaw wired shut.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a friend who\u2019s a couples\u2019 therapist; she seems to think you aren\u2019t entirely to blame for what happened.\u201d Maybe Lilly\u2019s opinion would offer the gloomy vampire a glimmer of hope. Because until he better understood the female oracle\u2019s riddle, Lorne didn\u2019t intend to share any glimmers of hope offered by The Powers. \u201cI hope you don\u2019t prove her wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care what anyone thinks except Cordelia.\u201d Angel growled, leaning his head against the doorjamb, shaky hands concealed inside his coat pockets. Tired from days without sleep, control was only a quick snap from being lost. \u201cI\u2019ll try not to prove your friend wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
The phone interrupting his concentration again, Wesley cursed as the ink-dry pen tore across his page of notes.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the point of being in charge when your staff doesn\u2019t bother to show up?<\/i> \u201cAngel Investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood morning my little lean-mean-researching machine. I\u2019ve got a case of Boddingtons chilling in the cooler for all the tantalizing good news you\u2019re ciphering.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCiphering? Ah the scroll; Lorne, our caseload hasn\u2019t actually allowed me time to-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTime! Make time! The big bad isn\u2019t coming Kemosabe, it\u2019s here!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood Lord, calm down.\u201d Wesley directed, the threat of impending evil surging watcher mode to the forefront. \u201cWho was singing; did you sense something apocalyptic?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need to hear the big guy caterwaul to know it\u2019s bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this is about Angel\u2026 Lorne, I know Angel turning his back on the mission was a shock for you, it was to all of us; but his offer to help with the visions doesn\u2019t change anything. Our priorities are no longer set by what Angel deems important\u2026at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t about who\u2019s leader of the pack. You want to be king of the hill, knock your socks off, but The Powers want those two back on the same path. So like it or not, their <\/i>priorities are the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd how do you know this; other than Angel\u2019s caterwauling.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you already, I got a-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh yes, a memo from above. Alright Lorne, I\u2019ll drop by the hotel later today.\u201d Cajoling Lorne would be easier than eluding his pestering; and besides, Wesley refused for Lorne to waste a case of Boddingtons on palates dulled by American beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood, now that that\u2019s settled; why didn\u2019t I get a we help the hopeless?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLorne, we don\u2019t always say it.\u201d Wesley shook his head, positive he\u2019d be the recipient of a good tongue lashing should Lorne tattle. \u201c\u2026when Cordelia isn\u2019t here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWouldn\u2019t sound as sweet with the accent anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d Wesley called out entering the hotel lobby. The place felt strange, bigger than he remembered and in more need of a thorough cleaning than when they had first moved in. Ignoring the eerie tingles prickling his neck, he inched his way further inside, following the trail of snores rolling from the office.<\/p>\n
Long legs stretched up resting bare feet on the cluttered and dust covered surface, an unbuttoned shirt barely hanging on slumped shoulders. His head lopped over the back of the chair and mouth wide, his chest rose and fell with each heavy snort; and Wesley pondered why Angel\u2019s sleeping body would mimic breathing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want,\u201d husked from lips loosely pursed into two rumpled lines, and Angel inwardly grinned as Wesley stiffened, gulping down the stifled yip caught in his throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cLorne suggested, quite adamantly\u2026\u201d his explanation almost drifting to indistinct mumbles while taking in Angel\u2019s scraggly and disheveled appearance, \u201c\u2026that I review The Scroll of Aberjian.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was told to busy idle hands with this.\u201d The bottle plopped onto the desk, revealing the sour stench assaulting Wesley\u2019s nostrils. \u201cA gift for being a good boy and following the rules.\u201d Angel offered as explanation, fisted fingers slipping away and allowing the empty bottle to topple off the desktop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see\u2026 The scroll; may I-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTake it,\u201d Angel aimlessly pointed in the direction of the safe. \u201c…but if I need to fight a coming apocalypse, we may be screwed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLorne simply insisted that the big bad was here.\u201d Wesley corrected, layering a heavy dose of sarcasm on the simple euphemism.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as he\u2019s not overreacting to me being a little on edge\u2026no harm done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOn edge\u2026like with Darla?\u201d Appeasing Lorne and earning the prized brew were no longer a concern. Darla\u2019s resurrection had been accomplished once; there was no reason to believe a second time wasn\u2019t possible. A quick session of strides and he was standing across the desk, back straight and in-charge persona sternly poised. This time Wesley did not intend to be caught unaware.<\/p>\n
\u201cDarla\u2019s dead Wes and Wolfram and Hart got what they wanted.\u201d Angel disregarded the man\u2019s distress, refusing to be distracted by his jump to illusory conclusions; he had more important things to obsess over. \u201cThey don\u2019t need Darla.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cHello lover; miss me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Tense fingers gripped the doorknob tighter as the sultry greeting purred across the threshold. \u201cWhat the hell are you doing here? Does anyone know?\u201d He asked, frantically glancing up and down the hallway.<\/p>\n
Darla licked her fingers, casting her reluctant host a wicked grin. \u201cNo one that can tell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you insane; the next contract will be on both our heads.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSilly boy, Wolfram and Hart won\u2019t expect my head on a platter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, just mine, you\u2019ll be scattered with the rest of the grit and grime. You gave me your word; I get you out of LA and you enjoy a long life of death and maiming in another country.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot happy to see me Lindsey. There was a time you thought you loved me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never loved you Darla. I was obsessed with taking what was his.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now I know. You were never the one he wanted\u2026just what he got stuck with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anger seethed beneath features trained to be soft and coquettish, contorting the seductive smile into a sneer. \u201cMy boy has always wanted me, and he will always come back to what he needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStay away from him Darla.\u201d The last thing Lindsey MacDonald needed was the crazed vampire waging war on Wolfram and Hart again, which could disclose his role in Darla\u2019s escape. \u201cAngel will likely blame you. Easier than blaming himself I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBlame me for what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe won\u2019t take him back, and he\u2019s not handling it well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho, his little friend from sunny town? Don\u2019t be ridiculous; she doesn\u2019t matter to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I know is that Angel trailed you for almost three months before giving up\u2026and it wasn\u2019t a happy reunion he was after.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cForget about the seer. I\u2019ll take care of her soon enough.\u201d Darla hissed, skillfully shifting to a bewitching guise as crimson nails stroked down the front of Lindsey\u2019s robe. \u201cNow, going to invite me in so we can celebrate? Not that I need an invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not safe\u2026for either of us. You can stay here,\u201d Lindsey stepped back thrusting a card with an address scribbled on the back across the threshold, \u201cuntil I figure out a way to get you out of the city\u2026again. Just lay low and I\u2019ll send someone for you tomorrow night.\u201d<\/p>\n
The door closed shutting out Darla\u2019s protest, nervous fingers already punching memorized numbers. \u201cI\u2019ve got another job for you, the vampire Darla; yea she\u2019s back in LA. No, I don\u2019t want her smuggled out again. I want her gone once and for all. She\u2019ll be at the usual place. Yea-yea, I know the rate. You\u2019ll get your money. Just make sure the job is clean.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cFeeling better?\u201d Wesley asked, his palm affectionately pressed across Cordelia\u2019s forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cYep, almost good as new.\u201d Cordelia appeased his concerns, deciding against her initial response of telling Wesley he had sweaty palms and his doting father routine was irritating the hell out of her.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that means you\u2019ll be back at work tomorrow; right? Cause time alone with the boss does not a good time make.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you, we\u2019re there to work not have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe and Barbie have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes Charles, I\u2019m all a tingle with your and Cordelia\u2019s ability to turn demon research into a rousing game of strip trivial pursuit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re just mad cause you lost your pants.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes well, as interesting as this discussion\u2026is not.\u201d Wesley beamed a satisfied grin, almost successfully using one of Cordelia\u2019s infamous lines. \u201cI\u2019m afraid I have news that may be\u2026well a bit distressing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The announcement of his pending news drawn out even longer than he imagined possible, Wesley took a deep, lung-replenishing breath. He had quickly rejected the prospect of closeting the information until convinced of its probability. Their friendship worked because of honesty and trust. Not telling them of his suspicion, regardless of its unlikelihood, was unacceptable.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe\u2026it may be possible\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh, spit it out English.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDarla may have been resurrected again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bitch is back?\u201d<\/p>\n
A brow twitched barely noticed, her silence more attention grabbing than a neon sign. Oblivious to her friends\u2019 questioning stares, she sank deeper into the deluge of what ifs and what now. The dawning conclusion of Darla\u2019s last visit catapulting her into action.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to redo the un-invite spell!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRedo? Cordelia, Darla was never invited into your apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, not her\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
They had never seen Cordelia so timid and afraid. Even when Angel left LA, she had only taken a couple of days before returning to work, her usual dedicated and complaining self firmly intact.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could very well be wrong Cordelia.\u201d Unnerved by the frightened expression, Wesley grasped her hands inside his. \u201cMy suspicions are based on nothing more than\u2026\u201d He hesitated briefly, deciding it best not to mention Angel\u2019s disturbing behavior; a drastic change from the social skills exhibited just three nights ago. \u201cIt will only take a few minutes to perform the spell. Then no vampire will have admittance without your expressed consent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll stay over, if you want Cordy.\u201d Gunn offered, settling next to Cordelia when she responded with little more than an unsure nod.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I\u2019m good.\u201d Overnight guests required perky Cordy, and Cordelia doubted a single emotion was willing to perk up, even for Wesley and Gunn. As long as she remained inside the spell- protected apartment, she\u2019d be safe; at least according to the feeble chant droning inside her head.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Cordelia rolled onto her side and snuggled deeper under the rumpled covers, shooing away the faint tap invading restless sleep. The repetition escalating into a persistent knock and Dennis whirling franticly above her head, she stumbled out of bed, determined that whichever ex<\/i>-friend had returned to check up on her would only live long enough to regret it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m gonna kick somebody\u2019s-\u201d<\/p>\n
Wood splintering under a heavy-fisted whack, Cordelia stumbled back placing a mere breath of space between her and the door as it tore from its hinges.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard a lot of interesting things about you Cordelia, and just couldn\u2019t wait to meet you face to face. Or is it fang to throat?\u201d Bone and muscle shifted, soft, feminine features contorting into bumpy ridges and sharp, pointed weapons. \u201cI always get those two mixed up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The scream suffocated in her throat, and survival instincts kicking in, she dashed behind the sofa. Unsteady legs threatening to buckle, Cordelia gripped the useless obstacle as her mind raced to find a more effective option.<\/p>\n
Darla had been the catalyst of evil\u2019s dark plan, set loose to lure the beast shackled and hidden. Victimized once by forces beyond her control, Cordelia refused to fall prey a second time to the evil synergy of Angel and Darla.<\/p>\n
Her mouth dropped open, but the tempest of her reprisal reduced to a sibilating wheeze, Cordelia numbly berated giving up alert senses for the comfort of drug-induced sleep.<\/p>\n
Trapped outside the protective screen, Darla could only intimidate, and common sense cautioned Cordelia to stay put while fear spurred her to take flight. Any plan of escape yet to form, she spun around jerking the drapes out of her way.<\/p>\n
Palms pressed against the glass and knees bent ready to leap, Angel had waited impatiently, constantly mindful of the other vampire\u2019s every move. His forehead rippled with stress-tight folds and narrowed eyes a murky swirl of brown and amber, the human face appeared forced, hinting of deceit.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia invite me in.\u201d The heavy downpour soaking his menacing form doing little to dilute the harsh and threatening demand.<\/p>\n
Cordelia shook her head, staggering back until her hips collided with the sofa. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as the thin glass wall shattered; and the intractable scream finally finding its voice as her world faded to black.<\/p>\n