{"id":3074,"date":"2015-06-29T19:48:41","date_gmt":"2015-06-29T18:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=3074"},"modified":"2015-06-29T20:52:16","modified_gmt":"2015-06-29T19:52:16","slug":"starting-over-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2015\/06\/29\/starting-over-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting Over. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Title: Starting Over<\/b>
\nAuthor: <\/b>ficbitch82<\/strong>
\nPosted: <\/b>Jul 19 2004
\nEmail<\/b><\/a>
\nRating: <\/b>
\nCategory: <\/b>
\nContent: <\/b>Cordelia\/Angel, Fred\/Gunn etc
\nSummary: <\/b>Angel meets an old friend but all isn\u2019t as it seems\u2026
\nSpoilers: <\/b>AU, but knowledge of some eps of Buffy\/Angel up to S5\/S3 would be helpful.
\nDisclaimer: <\/b>The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.The idea behind this fic comes from a movie that, for reasons of an evil nature, I\u2019ll disclose after the third chapter. This idea is NOT mine. I\u2019m just borrowing for a while.
\nDistribution: <\/b>Anywhere, just let me know where it\u2019s going.
\nNotes: <\/b>Cali wants this finished (amongst others) or there will be HELL to pay!!!(Hows that for stalking? *snikker*) A\/N 2: <\/b>I have an idea of where this fic is going now, how it’s going to be resolved, etc… Hopefully that means I’ll actually finish this one. *G*
\nThanks\/Dedication:<\/b> Finally, thanks to my darlingest of Pods, Lisa<\/b>, I can post chapter 4 (+ onwards). I thought I’d have to start all over but because of whoring it to her and her being wonderful enough to keep it? Most of it was written. Ta, mate!
\nFeedback:<\/b> Want me to beg? I can do that…<\/p>\n

\n

Chapter One<\/b> \u2013 New Beginnings<\/p>\n

He stood at the top of the stairs leading down into Caritas and wished, for what felt like the hundredth time that minute that he hadn\u2019t been brought to\u00a0this<\/i> part of town.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a bad part of town per se; in fact, this was one of the nicer areas of Los Angeles. The creatures of the night tended to populate the less loud, brass places of the city \u2013 places where they could pick up an unsuspecting victim without being noticed.<\/p>\n

Tonight though, his fight had brought him here. His fight had brought him to the one place in the city where he could literally rid the world of seven different kinds of human-eating demons\u2026 Only, because of some sanctuary spell enforced by the owner of the club, Angel would have to wait until he got outside to do his evil-ridding.<\/p>\n

He frowned, moving down the stairs and through the electro-sensors, having to step through them three times to rid himself of weapons before he was finally allowed in the club.<\/p>\n

His target was seated at a booth, smirking. Obviously safe in Caritas, the demon kept looking over at Angel smugly, just daring him to do something, anything, to make his night.<\/p>\n

Angel could just imagine one of those bad Clint Eastwood movies that Xander used to watch incessantly, playing at the back of his mind. Go ahead, punk\u2026 Make my day.<\/i> Said the voice in his head, aided by the roll of Angel\u2019s eyes and then\u2026 Then, the stage lit up with what seemed like a billion lights, a green demon stepping out onto the stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, I was afraid
\nI was petrified
\nKept thinking I could never live
\nWithout you by my side
\nBut then I spent so my nights
\nJust thinking how you did me wrong
\nAnd I grew strong
\nAnd I learned how to get along\u2026\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Angel tuned the voice out, the pulsing beat in the karaoke club thrumming through his feet. He glared at his target again, hoping to extricate the demon by sheer will alone when a voice behind him made him turn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWesley? It\u2019s Cordelia\u2026 Listen, our pigeon stool\u2019s nowhere to be seen. I\u2019m gonna finish my drink, say goodbye to Lorne then head home, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t hear the rest of the conversation. Cordelia Chase, the once Queen Bitch of Sunnydale High School, closed her state of the art flip phone and ended the call, placing it back inside of her purse.<\/p>\n

\u201cCordelia?\u201d<\/p>\n

When she turned, her smile almost split her face. Dressed in a deep purple halter-top and a pair of black leather pants that had half the population of the club practically salivating in their drinks, Cordelia looked fantastic. Her hair drawn back off her face, shorter than the last time Angel had seen her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my God, Angel? What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, surprising him momentarily before he found himself relaxing into the hug, relishing the contact of the soft, warm body pressed against him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026 Hi.\u201d He said, almost sheepishly as she pulled away, guilt flooding through him. He shouldn\u2019t feel guilty. It was a hug, nothing more, nothing less. \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was my question,\u201d She laughed, talking a little louder than normal over the song from the green demon on stage. \u201cHow are you\u2014 Okay, wait. You\u2019re not, like, evil right? I mean, are you\u2026\u201d Cordelia hooked her fingers into claws, leaned forward and screwed up her face in the cutest look Angel had ever seen. \u201cGrrrr, still?\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel stared at her, bemused. \u201cYeah\u2026 There\u2019s not actually a cure for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re not here to, like, bite people?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Angel shook his head, \u201cNo biting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia grinned. \u201cSo really, what\u2019re you doing here? Is Buffy with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He could almost feel the smile falling off his face. It was amazing how some moments, he could almost forget about her, when others all he could think of was her smile, the touch of her lips on his.<\/p>\n

Angel sighed, glancing down at Cordelia. \u201cWe\u2026 Uh\u2026 We broke up a while ago.\u201d He said, matter-of-factly. Maybe if he just said it quickly, some of the pain would go away.<\/p>\n

Or maybe, Cordelia would look at him the way she was now, with those patented pitying eyes. He felt a flash of anger, a moment of regret over opening his mouth and ever saying those words to Cordelia Chase\u2026 When she let her head tilt to one side.<\/p>\n

\u201cLove sucks, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a simple statement, one Angel had heard a thousand times in his 250-year life span. The most surprising thing of all? It made him smile.<\/p>\n

This time, it was Cordelia\u2019s turn to be surprised. She looked at him, and then blatantly down at his crotch area to make sure there was no leather, before looking back up at him again. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Said Angel, bemused. \u201cSo what about you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m fine–\u201d Cordelia began, nodding.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Angel interrupted, \u201cI mean, what about you? Here, in LA?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! That \u2018what about you?\u2019\u201d She grinned, running her finger around the tip of her glass and glancing around the club, presumably to see if her pigeon stool had turned up yet.<\/p>\n

When she turned back to Angel, she was smiling again, \u201cI own an investigations agency with a couple of friends of mine. Nothing fancy, but simple enough to pay the bills and keep me in\u2014Whyyyyy are you looking at me like that?\u201d Cordelia\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn investigations agency?\u201d Angel looked at her curiously. She couldn\u2019t be serious, could she? Cordelia Chase, the bane of Buffy\u2019s life in high school, was running her own investigations team\u2026 And seemed to be enjoying her job?<\/p>\n

Okay, that? Was new.<\/p>\n

Something to do with fashion, he could have believed \u2013 Cordelia and her friends had been like the Russian army if they cared a lot about shoes but\u2026 An investigations agency?<\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve me,\u201d Cordelia laughed, \u201cThat wasn\u2019t my big plan. I was supposed to move to LA, get a fabulous acting career, have Steve Paymer fall in love with me and live happily ever after.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel raised his eyebrows, about to ask who the hell Steve Paymer was but the name seemed vaguely familiar\u2014and then he remembered where he\u2019d heard it. Dawn, the week before he\u2019d left, had been babbling excitedly to Buffy about seeing the guy somewhere \u2013 a signing at Sunnydale mall, if he remembered rightly.<\/p>\n

She wanted to marry that guy?<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cAs you can see my plan didn\u2019t work out,\u201d Cordelia continued, good-naturedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first acting gig? A national, by the way, I got set up to be part of some televised cult sacrifice. I got rescued by Groo and Doyle and from there, my part in the whole helping the helpless deal from great sucking evil was sealed, only it was my idea to start charging the helpless and get a little money to actually, y\u2019know, buy stuff?\u201d She grinned, taking a drink of her non-alcoholic Margarita.<\/p>\n

Angel smiled again, before lifting a hand to signal a waitress. Technically, he was here on business \u2013 the demon in the corner that, even now, was still bugging the crap out of Angel.<\/p>\n

Just one good hit and it\u2019d be dead\u2026 But for some reason, Angel wanted to stay here and find out more about Cordelia, about why she fought this fight when she didn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n

It was a simple truth he\u2019d learned about her back in Sunnydale. She could mouth off, talk good game about the better elsewhere\u2019s she had to be \u2013 but simple human strength kept her around researching when, knowing her, she\u2019d rather be out partying.<\/p>\n

Before he could get the waitress\u2019 attention, Angel was suddenly aware of the presence beside him. The demon that\u2019d been up on stage, apparently finished his version of \u2018I Will Survive\u2019.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cPlumcake!\u201d Lorne greeted Cordelia, jovially, \u201cHow nice to see you gracing our presence again\u2026 Who\u2019s our friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel watched as the demon looked him up, down and up again, his red eyes narrowing.<\/p>\n

\u201cLorne!\u201d Cordelia smiled, apparently not noticing the icy glares shot Angel\u2019s way. \u201cMeet Angel. Angel? Meet Lorne. He owns this place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorne extended a hand but it was out of nothing other than politeness. The frown on his face told Angel that he wanted him to disappear. Fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cAngel.\u201d Said the vampire, extending as much courtesy as Lorne was giving him. \u201cNice place you got here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, but only for Cordelia\u2019s benefit, Lorne raised his eyebrows. \u201cSo how do you know Cordelia\u2026 Angel, was it?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the oldest blow off in the book, usually reserved for jealous boyfriends and the like, but somehow Angel doubted they were that involved. Cordelia was oblivious to it \u2013 or if she did notice, it meant she was used to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s from Sunnydale,\u201d She smiled, \u201cRemember? Those traumatising days that I, like, never talk about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhh, a Sunnydale dweller.\u201d Lorne nodded, \u201cWhich, if I remember rightly? Means that you\u2019re as reluctant to talk about yourself as Cordelia here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel glared at him. True, he didn\u2019t want to talk about his past, especially not to some green demon that\u2019d done nothing but glare at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really into the whole share my pain deal,\u201d He said tersely, \u201cBut thanks anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve me, Angelcakes, I wasn\u2019t offering a shoulder to cry on if that\u2019s what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia looked up, surprised. She elbowed Lorne in the ribs and coughed, embarrassed. \u201cAngel\u2019s okay, Lorne. He\u2019s one of the good guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel could almost imagine her adding the \u2018Providing he doesn\u2019t get laid\u2019<\/i> part \u2013 Cordelia had always had that knack for saying what she thought, no matter what.<\/p>\n

Lorne didn\u2019t look convinced. In fact, if anything, he looked more convinced that Angel was something that could be scraped off the bottom of his shoe.<\/p>\n

Angel frowned, turning to look at his demon friend who he\u2019d accosted earlier, trying to feed off an unsuspecting victim. The booth he\u2019d been sitting at was now occupied by a Torval demon, sitting sipping his beverage of choice. He swore under his breath, turning back to Cordelia and effectively ignoring Lorne. \u201cListen, I\u2019m going to have to cut our little chat short \u2013 my business just ran out of here. Maybe we\u2026 I mean, if you\u2019re not busy we could\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPick this up later?\u201d Cordelia finished for him, smiling. Angel never had been known for his conversational skills. \u201cSure, I\u2019d\u2026 I\u2019d like that. I mean its not every day the very embodiment of all things Sunnydale walks into your local, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning over, Cordelia unzipped her purse, producing a card from the bottom of it. \u201cHere,\u201d She handed it to him, \u201cJust\u2026 Call the office and ask for me. I\u2019m usually around. Or\u2014\u201d She stopped, screwing up her nose as she thought of something. \u201cYou could always come back here, tomorrow night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere?\u201d Damn<\/i>, thought Angel, Green guy doesn\u2019t intimidate me but another night of glares like this? Enough to put me off coming back here at all.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d She smiled again, \u201cWe\u2019re having a birthday party thing for one of my friends. Fred. She turns 25 tomorrow. And\u2026 You could come, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel shifted, nervously. Meeting up with Cordelia he could do but gate crashing a birthday party? That didn\u2019t sound like the best plan. \u201cI\u2026 How about another night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you declining \u2018cause you\u2019re busy being avoidy-manpire or because you don\u2019t like the idea of crashing a party?\u201d<\/p>\n

Busted. Angel looked at her, nodding. \u201cLast one, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Cordelia looked down at her drink for a moment, taking a breath, \u201cPeople are bringing guests and\u2026 You could maybe be mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel looked at her, stunned. Three years ago, this would have been a different invitation. Three years ago, Cordelia would have been hanging off his arm and trying every trick in the book to get him to notice her. Not for the first time in his unlife, Angel was struck by how times (and people alike) changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like that. We could catch up.\u201d He smiled.<\/p>\n

Cordelia looked up at him again. \u201cSay\u2026 Eight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d Angel nodded, and then pointed towards the door, \u201cI have to\u2026 I\u2019ll see you tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia and Lorne both watched as he walked away, coat billowing out behind him.<\/p>\n

Lorne was considerably less than pleased. \u201cSo, you know him from days of olde, huh, Plumcake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t Plumcake me.\u201d Cordelia turned, glaring at Lorne. \u201cCould you have been more rude to the guy? All he was doing was talking to me! It\u2019s not like he was trying to bone me in the middle of Caritas!\u201d<\/p>\n

If Angel was scared? Then Lorne had a reason to be even more so. You did not<\/b> mess with Cordelia Chase, no matter what. There were just certain rules you lived by.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as lovely an image as that produced,\u201d Lorne grimaced, looking up as the Gour\u2019Shan Mage on stage finished murdering a Barry White song, \u201cDuty calls. Listen, I\u2019m sorry\u2026 I just\u2026 I was looking out for you, Cordelicious. You know how I worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia sighed, picking up her drink from the table. She downed it, wishing for a split second that it were alcoholic, before patting Lorne on the arm affectionately.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you do, but really? There\u201ds nothing to worry about between Angel and me. Unless he grows a brain and realises that little blondes who know their way around an ancient fighting axe aren\u2019t the only girls out there to be boned? Then we\u2019re good. Trust me, okay?\u201d She smiled, picking up her purse and waving at one of the waitresses across the club. \u201cI\u2019ll see you tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorne sighed, watching as Cordelia sauntered away \u2013 twenty pairs of eyes concentrated on that cute little hiney of hers. He wished that she had a normal life and that what she was thinking could ever happen with Angel.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t have to hear her sing to know that her aura was playing a little tune of its own \u2013 that much was obvious. The guy had shown up and Cordelia was her glittering old self for just ten minutes. Not that she wasn\u2019t her usual glittering self, but this\u2026 This was different.<\/p>\n

Reaching into his pocket, Lorne retrieved his cell phone, dialling the number for the Hyperion hotel. When they finally picked up, Lorne sighed. \u201cHouston? We have a problem\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Part 2<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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