Part 13<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Wesley,\u201d Cordelia tried once more to rouse her unresponsive friend, then turned wide, frightened eyes on her boyfriend. \u201cAngel?\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire moved away from the weeping slayer\u2019s side to squat next to the unconscious ex-watcher. Wesley\u2019s heart was racing, the smell from the coagulating blood leaking from the open wounds on his torso, thick and strong.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid I kill him?\u201d Faith\u2019s voice was raspy from lack of use.<\/p>\n
Angel glanced back over his shoulder at the slayer, noting how pale she was, and how her skin was covered in a sheen of clammy sweat.<\/p>\n
He shook his head. \u201cHe\u2019s lost a lot of blood, but I don\u2019t think his life is in any danger. We should get him \u2013 and you – to a hospital though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Faith protested, shaking her head violently at this suggestion.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were in a coma for months, Faith.\u201d Buffy pointed out to her fellow slayer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, but it was a mystical coma, not a physical one. I feel okay, I just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Faith broke off and looked beseechingly at Angel. \u201cI feel okay,\u201d she reiterated, her brown eyes pleading with him to understand.<\/p>\n
The vampire nodded, recognizing the slayer\u2019s reluctance to face the barrage of questions likely to be asked about her condition \u2013 and Wesley\u2019s \u2013 at the hospital.<\/p>\n
He fished in his jacket pocket for his car-keys and handed them to Cordelia, then looked over at Buffy and Riley. \u201cGo with Cordy and Wes to the hospital \u2013 Lorne, Willow, and I will take Faith back to Caritas. It\u2019s only about thirty minutes walk from here.\u201d<\/p>\n
His instructions imparted, Angel effortlessly lifted Wesley off the damp cobblestones and strode over to the Plymouth, carefully depositing the injured Englishman in the backseat. Riley walked around the front of the car to take the passenger seat, while Cordelia passed the keys to Buffy, before she climbed in besides their friend and gently lifted his head to cradle it in her lap.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrive safely,\u201d Angel told the slayer, as she slid into the driver\u2019s seat and inserted the key into the ignition.<\/p>\n
Gripping the doorframe in his hands, the dark-haired vampire then leaned over into the back to press a kiss to Cordelia\u2019s upturned lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall me,\u201d he told her, reaching out to cup her cheek in his hand. He traced the outline of her full, pouty lips with his thumb, and smiled when she softly kissed the digit\u2019s callused tip.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will,\u201d the seer replied, then looked worriedly over at Faith. \u201cTake care of her, okay? I know she says she\u2019s fine, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d Angel softly interrupted, his voice low. \u201cI think her problems are going to be more physiological than physical though, so pushing the hospital issue wasn\u2019t worth it. We don\u2019t want her to retreat inside herself.\u201d<\/p>\n
The seer nodded solemnly in agreement, and the vampire bent to kiss her one last time before he stepped away from the vehicle. Buffy gunned the engine, and the car trundled down the alleyway towards the junction that led onto the main road.<\/p>\n
Twisting around in her seat, Cordelia looked back at Angel, giving him a tiny wave goodbye as the Plymouth disappeared off into the distance. The vampire lifted his hand to acknowledge his girlfriend\u2019s farewell, before turning back to the others with a heavy sigh.<\/p>\n
He was exhausted, the events of the past few days \u2013 and weeks \u2013 finally taking their toll on him. The soreness from his stab wound had subsided to a dull ache, but now it itched like mad. This was a good sign in itself, because it meant that his injury was on the mend, but Angel hated this part of the healing process with a passion \u2013 he\u2019d much rather endure the pain, than put up with this infernal prickling sensation.<\/p>\n
Lorne stood with one arm around a drooping Willow\u2019s waist, while the other supported the still dazed slayer, and Angel quickly moved forward to relieve the happy-go-lucky demon of his second burden. Wrapping a firm arm around Faith\u2019s back, just under her shoulder blades, he felt the tremors of shock and exhaustion that were shaking her body.<\/p>\n
\u201cErr \u2013 he is green right?\u201d the slayer asked, a little befuddled.<\/p>\n
She blinked owlishly, trying to clear her vision, but the jade colour remained.<\/p>\n
Angel laughed, \u201cYeah – but don\u2019t worry, he\u2019s as soft as a baby\u2019s bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI religiously moisturise three times a day,\u201d Lorne quipped, with an impish grin in the confused slayer\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember you – you\u2019re the Karaoke guy,\u201d Faith said slowly, her voice slightly slurred. Her foggy memory had taken a while to inform her of where she\u2019d seen the green-skinned demon before.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one and only, sweet thing,\u201d the Host replied with a gentle smile.<\/p>\n
The brightly dressed demon then shot a quick glance up at the bluish-grey sky, noting the rapidly approaching dawn.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell folks – I think it\u2019s about time we got going, don\u2019t you? We don\u2019t want Angelcakes to go *poof* now do we? My profits would go right down the crappa. Some of the demon-girls only come in hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr Tall, Dark and Devilishly-Handsome here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t necessarily mention that to Cordelia if I were you,\u201d Willow commented dryly, as the four of them began to walk in the direction of Caritas. \u201cI gather from some of her emails, that she can be rather vocal about other women lusting after her boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAhh yes \u2013 the princess sure is a feisty one.\u201d Lorne declared, voicing his agreement with the witch\u2019s summation of Cordelia\u2019s likely response.<\/p>\n
Angel was about to add his two cents worth to the discussion, but was prevented from doing so when Faith suddenly stopped in her tracks, clutching frantically at his arm. Her grip was vice-like and he winced as her strong fingers dug into his flesh, the nails piercing his skin.<\/p>\n
\u201cWesley!\u201d she softly exclaimed, looking about her, all wild-eyed. \u201cOh God \u2013 what I did to him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Releasing her iron-hold on the vampire, the slayer lifted her hands up in front of her face, studying her bloodied palms in horror. Angel\u2019s stomach lurched as he recognised the familiar gesture.<\/p>\n
The vampire had inflicted untold agony on thousands of innocent victims in his time, and he often found himself examining his own hands in the same way. It was extremely difficult to connect what he\u2019d done in his Angelus days, with the person that his restored soul had shaped him into, and his body sometimes didn\u2019t feel like it belonged to him.<\/p>\n
Taking hold of Faith\u2019s trembling hands, Angel pulled them down and away from her grief-stricken face, cupping her chin gently between his fingers.<\/p>\n
\u201c*You* didn\u2019t do anything to him, Faith,\u201d he told her, looking down into her deeply tormented gaze. \u201cIt\u2019s important that you try to remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The shell-shocked slayer didn\u2019t seem to hear his quietly spoken words though, just stared straight through him with stark, unseeing eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWesley,\u201d she repeated in anguish, salty tears escaping to run unchecked down her smudged cheeks.<\/p>\n
Realising she was still extremely disorientated; Angel slid a supporting arm around the slayer\u2019s shaking shoulders, and gently urged her onwards. \u201cCome on \u2013 let\u2019s get you somewhere where you can wash up and get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heeding his soft instructions, Faith absently began to put one foot in front of the other again, but remained pretty
\nmuch out of it as they meandered their way back to the Karaoke Club.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
While they waited for news of Wesley, Cordelia and Buffy sat awkwardly, side by side, on the uncomfortable plastic chairs, not really knowing what to say to each other.<\/p>\n
On their arrival at the hospital, they had denied all knowledge of what had happened to the ex-watcher; simply claiming that he was a friend, who had turned up unexpectedly on their doorstep in his current state. The seer felt a bit guilty about that, knowing that Wesley would probably have to answer all the interfering questions when he woke up.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere \u2013 I brought you both some coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked up at the sound of Riley\u2019s voice. \u201cThanks,\u201d she said, gratefully taking the steaming polystyrene cup from the soldier, and lifting it to her lips.<\/p>\n
She grimaced as the artificial taste of the hot, bitter liquid hit the back of her throat. \u201cIck! Do you think they purposely set out to make hospital coffee taste as yucky as possible?\u201d she asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe it\u2019s an unwritten rule \u2013 thou shalt not provide good cups of coffee in medical establishments.\u201d Riley replied with a quick grin.<\/p>\n
The seer\u2019s lips curled up in a faint smile at the soldier\u2019s quip, but her overwhelming concern for Wesley\u2019s well-being soon returned. She glanced down at her watch. \u201cWhat\u2019s taking so long?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ll let you know as soon as they\u2019ve got anything to report,\u201d Riley said soothingly. \u201cI was thinking I\u2019d go and get some sandwiches from the canteen – either of you want any?\u201d<\/p>\n
Both girls nodded in the affirmative, then shook their heads in response to his subsequent question of \u201cAny preference on what type?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRiley seems nice,\u201d Cordelia commented to the blonde slayer, as the soldier strode off down the corridor in search of food.<\/p>\n
\u201cMmm.\u201d Buffy\u2019s reply was non-committal.<\/p>\n
Now that Faith was safe and the Orb defeated, the slayer was trying to make sense of the turbulent feelings that this trip to LA had stirred up within her. Cordelia was right – Riley *was* nice \u2013 her boyfriend was loving, caring, and she enjoyed his company. The sex was good, great even, but he just didn\u2019t make her heart race, and her breath quicken, in the same way that Angel had – and still did, if she was honest with herself.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Buffy could not remain oblivious to the deep ties of affection that existed between her ex-boyfriend and Cordelia Chase either. The couple\u2019s recent kiss goodbye had been one such light-bulb moment for the slayer – the vampire had seemingly done it without thinking, but the farewell embrace hadn\u2019t been perfunctory in the slightest. The gentle kisses were brief, but also extremely heartfelt.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the almost savage clinch that the two had shared before Angel had gone into the Gauntlet, revealed the more passionate side of their union. Therefore, try as she might, Buffy could not escape the fact that the vampire and seer\u2019s relationship appeared well balanced, seemingly having the right mixture of love, friendship and fiery sexual chemistry.<\/p>\n
One thing did stand out though, and it was this, which gave Buffy the impetus not to give up hope of a reconciliation with the souled vampire. To her mind, Angel did not revere Cordelia in quite the same way that he had her, which to the romantically inclined slayer, meant that his feelings couldn\u2019t be as strong.<\/p>\n
She was simply unable to comprehend that the vampire\u2019s more relaxed and down-to-earth attitude towards his current relationship was, in fact, a sign of the complete opposite – an indication that he felt totally comfortable in Cordelia\u2019s company, and therefore didn\u2019t feel the need to be subservient with her.<\/p>\n
Well that was ringing endorsement,*not*<\/i> Cordelia thought, cold anxiety gripping her stomach. She had relaxed when Buffy had turned up with a boyfriend in tow, thinking it meant that the slayer had moved on. Now though, her unease returned with a vengeance.<\/p>\n
The seer liked Riley \u2013 he was kind, good-looking, if\u2026 well\u2026 a little staid. She was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt over his seriously bad attitude towards Angel; recognising that it took a while to get your head around the idea of a vampire with a soul. The fact that his girlfriend viewed her first love through rose-tinted glasses probably didn\u2019t help either.<\/p>\n
It still amazed Cordelia that, while Buffy had refused to accept the vampire for what he was, she looked upon him as her perfect, happily-ever-after love. It was a dichotomous outlook – the two opposing halves not able to connect to make a seamless whole, and therefore ultimately an attitude that had rent the Romeo-and-Juliet relationship apart.<\/p>\n
Will she try to come between Angel and me? She\u2019d better not if she knows what\u2019s good for her health!<\/i><\/p>\n
As soon as the words sounded in her brain, Cordelia laughed inwardly, realising how empty her silent threat probably was. She couldn\u2019t deal with Buffy in the same way as the other women, who had dared to encroach on her territory – the slayer was a whole different ball game.<\/p>\n
The seer\u2019s train of anxious thought was interrupted then, as a white-coated doctor entered the waiting room and looked around, asking for, \u201cWesley Wyndam-Pryce\u2019s next-of-kin?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia rose quickly to her feet, and crossed to speak to the medical expert, her concern back on Wesley\u2019s condition and prognosis.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Faith stood under the hot spray, still feeling like she was wading through a sea of molasses. The powerful jets of water made the cuts and bruises that she\u2019d gained during her \u2013 no, the Orb\u2019s – fight with Angel sting like hell.<\/p>\n
The slayer looked down at the shower-stall\u2019s white-tiled floor, and gagged at the crimson colour of the water circling the drain. It wasn\u2019t all her blood, she knew, and the sight brought back the awful memories of tonight\u2019s events with startling clarity. Covering her mouth with her hands, she sank to the floor and began to weep in distress.<\/p>\n
\u201cFaith \u2013 are you okay?\u201d Angel knocked on the bathroom door \u2013 she had been in there far too long for his comfort.<\/p>\n
Tentatively pushing open the door, the vampire ventured into the steamed-up room, not really wanting to invade the slayer\u2019s privacy, but too worried about her fragile state of mind to wait for her to come out. His keen eyesight swiftly took in her crumpled form behind the frosted glass and, grabbing a couple of towels from the heated rail, he immediately sprang into action.<\/p>\n
Drawing back the shower screen, he quickly shut off the water, hooked one hand under her arm and urged her to her feet, keeping his eyes respectfully averted from her nakedness as he did so. Once the slayer stood, shivering and dripping water onto the bathmat, he swathed her in the larger of the two towels, then gently led her through into the bedroom.<\/p>\n
Faith sat gingerly on the end of the bed, whilst Angel carefully blotted her hair with a hand towel, squeezing out the moisture from the dark strands until her thick mane was almost dry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think C might have my guts for garters for this,\u201d the slayer commented, as she took the brush that the vampire offered to her and began to pull it through her wild tangle of hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Angel asked, puzzled.<\/p>\n
Faith pointedly glanced down at the towel tucked securely over her breasts, and he caught on to what she meant.
\n\u201cOh \u2013 she won\u2019t mind,\u201d he added, then grinned at the slayer\u2019s subsequent raising of an eyebrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI meant she\u2019ll understand the purely platonic circumstances,\u201d he elaborated. \u201cBesides it\u2019s not like I looked – I\u2019m a gentleman.\u201d<\/p>\n
Faith looked away, her eyes welling up with tears again. \u201cHow do you do it?\u201d she whispered brokenly. \u201cHow do you live with this?\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire sighed and reached out to engulf her hand in his. \u201cYou take it day by day, one step at a time. Some days are harder than others, but you just keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cListen to me though. I cannot claim the same, but in your case, none of it was you – it was all the Orb\u2019s doing. You have to find a way to separate yourself from its actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I didn\u2019t do anything to stop it,\u201d the slayer sobbed in broken-hearted anguish. \u201cI just sat back and watched\u2026 Oh God Angel, I just watched.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Wesley asked you to save your strength, I take it,\u201d the sympathetic vampire surmised, tenderly brushing her damp hair away from her neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Faith nodded miserably. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have listened to him though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you should,\u201d Angel told her firmly. \u201cGod knows, I wouldn\u2019t have wished what happened to Wes on anyone, least of all one of my closest friends. In the end though, he made the right decision – without you, we might never have overpowered the Orb enough to get it to drink the exorcising potion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish that made me feel better, but it doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will \u2013 in time. It\u2019s just too much for you to handle right now, what with everything still being so raw.\u201d<\/p>\n
While he spoke, the vampire had risen to his feet and crossed to the chest of drawers. He rummaged around in the middle drawer and produced a pair of thin sweatpants and a vest-top that belonged to Cordelia.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere,\u201d he said, handing the slayer the comfy garments. \u201cI\u2019ll go and sort you out a hot drink and some toast, and then I think you should try to get some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d Faith acquiesced.<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s cell trilled loudly then, and they both jumped out of their skin at the sudden noise.<\/p>\n
The vampire quickly retrieved his ringing phone from his jacket pocket, and punched the green call button. \u201cHi baby! You still at the hospital?\u201d<\/p>\n
Yeah \u2013 I\u2019m using the pay phone in the ER.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cSo how\u2019s Wes?\u201d<\/p>\n
The doctor says he\u2019ll be fine. They\u2019re going to keep him in for observation but – all being well – they should discharge him tomorrow some time.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cGood, that\u2019s good. Are you staying there with him then?\u201d<\/p>\n
No \u2013 he\u2019s sedated, and he apparently won\u2019t come round for a while yet. We\u2019ve decided to head back to Caritas for a few hours kip. They said they\u2019d call us when he wakes up.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cSounds like a plan – I\u2019ll see you in a bit then.\u201d<\/p>\n
How\u2019s Faith?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cWe can talk about that when you get back.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u2019s there with you, isn\u2019t she?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n
Make sure you tell her Wesley\u2019s gonna be okay.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cI will, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
All right, gotta go. Buffy looks like her head is about to explode.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cOkay – I\u2019ll see you soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yeah \u2013 love ya, by the way!<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cLove you too. Bye.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel shut off the phone with a smile, and then looked over at an expectant Faith. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be fine \u2013 so quit worrying.\u201d<\/p>\n
The brunette slayer sagged in obvious relief, her tears overflowing again. \u201cGod \u2013 how pathetic, am I?\u201d she said, swiping angrily at her wet cheeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are not pathetic. You\u2019ve just been through one hell of an ordeal, so stop giving yourself such a hard time for reacting to it. It is okay to be needy sometimes, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Faith smiled through her tears, despite herself. \u201cJust get lost and let me get dressed, will ya?\u201d she demanded with fake aggressiveness.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right \u2013 I\u2019ll be back in a bit.\u201d Angel dropped a friendly kiss on the top of her head before he turned to leave the room. \u201cWe missed you, Faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cIs your arm all right?\u201d Buffy asked Riley, as they entered the bedroom that Lorne had set aside for their use at Caritas.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah \u2013 it\u2019s throbbing a bit, but otherwise it\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
The soldier un-buttoned his torn shirt and shrugged it off his broad shoulders. \u201cI think Cordelia must have been a nurse in a former life,\u201d he said, studying the neatly applied bandage with admiration.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmong other less noble occupations maybe,\u201d the bitter slayer muttered under her breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing – doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Buffy answered with false brightness.<\/p>\n
Crossing to stand next to her boyfriend, her blue eyes swept over his bare muscular chest in feminine appreciation, and she felt her loins stir in response. Maybe he wasn\u2019t the man she dreamed of, but he was still a hottie, and he was hers.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou tired?\u201d she asked seductively, trailing a finger over his exposed tanned flesh. \u201cI\u2019m still kind of wired myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBuffy\u2026\u201d Riley protested half-heartedly, a low groan escaping his lips when her teasing finger curled into the waistband of his combats.<\/p>\n
The slayer ignored him, unbuckled his belt and slid down the zipper of his pants, before she pushed her hand into his cotton boxers. Stroking the soldier\u2019s rapidly hardening sex, her searching lips attached themselves to his collarbone, her panties growing wet in anticipation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want you,\u201d she murmured throatily against his skin, nipping lightly at his shoulder with her teeth.<\/p>\n
And she did \u2013 the erotic fantasy of Angel in the car, the thrill of the Gauntlet challenge, the excitement of the battle with the possessed Faith, and the satisfaction gained by the defeat of the Orb – all of it combined together in one heady mix, making her hotter than hellfire.<\/p>\n
Riley pushed her back a step, hooking his fingers into the wide neckline of her sweater and tugging it down her arms, so that it bunched up under her cleavage. Roughly pushing the peach satin cups of her bra aside, he bared her small breasts to his hot-eyed gaze, and then pulled up her suede skirt so that it gathered around her slim waist.<\/p>\n
Backing her over to the bed, the soldier kissed and nibbled at the slayer\u2019s arched neck, spurred on by her passionate cries of encouragement. They sank down onto the yielding mattress together, exchanging frantic kisses while their hands roamed over each other\u2019s half-dressed bodies.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod Buffy \u2013 you are so beautiful. I love you so much.\u201d Riley groaned against her lips, before he bent his head and drew one of her tightly puckered nipples into his mouth.<\/p>\n
Buffy felt a stab of guilt at that \u2013 she wasn\u2019t really sure of her feelings for him anymore. She cared about him a lot. She lusted after him \u2013 I mean, who wouldn\u2019t? But love? She didn\u2019t know anymore. Her craving for Angel still existed \u2013 Riley was second best, a substitute.<\/p>\n
The soldier\u2019s hand crept possessively up between her thighs and he stroked her through the material of her panties, making her insides clench despite her confusion. He bit and sucked at her breasts until she clutched at his hair, holding him to her and pushing her hips up into his with a low moan.<\/p>\n
God, she wanted this, needed the physical and emotional release with an unexplainable urgency.<\/p>\n
\u201cRiley please \u2013 I want you to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy pushed his head away from her breasts, and reached down to tear off her panties, using her slayer strength to rip the cotton material. With her fingers threaded through his short sandy hair, she encouraged Riley lower, wanting his mouth against her moist folds, his tongue teasing her throbbing clitoris.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh yes, that\u2019s it baby!\u201d she breathed as he obligingly licked up the length of her slick sex.<\/p>\n
Glancing downwards, she briefly flashed on the image of a dark – rather than blond – head buried between her thighs, and almost came there and then. Screwing her eyes tightly shut and fisting the sheets in her hands, Buffy concentrated on the pleasure her boyfriend was affording her, trying to banish all thoughts of her ex from her mind. It wasn\u2019t fair to Riley to think about Angel in this way \u2013 she knew it wasn\u2019t right; she just couldn\u2019t help it sometimes.<\/p>\n
As the soldier\u2019s tongue continued to coax her to new heights of arousal, the slayer surrendered to her body\u2019s demands for sexual relief, and stopped worrying about the rightness, or wrongness, of the situation. She would deal with the intricacies of her complicated love life later.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Angel looked up from his book as the bedroom door creaked open. A world-weary Cordelia stepped into the room and quietly pushed the door shut behind her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey you,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u201d the seer returned his greeting, wandering over to stand by the armchair that he was sitting in. She looked down at the sleeping slayer. \u201cHow\u2019s she doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot so good at the moment,\u201d the vampire replied gravely. \u201cBut she\u2019ll get through it \u2013 she\u2019s strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI see she\u2019s also a bed hog,\u201d Cordelia observed with a smile, noting the way that Faith was sprawled face down, her long legs and arms reaching out to every corner of the mattress.<\/p>\n
Angel laughed, \u201cSeems so \u2013 I thought it best to keep an eye on her tonight. We\u2019ll be able to reclaim our room when the shock wears off a bit. I\u2019m fine here \u2013 you take the sofa.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going home then?\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire shook his head, \u201cNo, not yet – Lorne said he didn\u2019t mind if we stayed a bit longer. Wes and Faith are both going to need taking care of, and there\u2019s not really enough room at our place for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I guess not.\u201d Cordelia agreed.<\/p>\n
She stretched her arms high above her head and yawned. \u201cWell, I\u2019m going to take a shower. Hot and sweaty doesn\u2019t even cover it – I smell like a vagrant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI seriously doubt that,\u201d Angel smiled, his brown eyes dancing with amusement.<\/p>\n
\u201cCare to join me?\u201d the seer asked coyly, lowering her gaze and peering at him through her dark eyelashes.<\/p>\n
The vampire glanced once at the dead-to-the-world slayer, and then rose to his feet, reaching out to take his girlfriend\u2019s offered hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t mind if I do,\u201d he replied, and the two of them retreated into the private domain of the on-suite bathroom, their fingers locked firmly together.<\/p>\n