CHAPTER 5<\/b><\/p>\n
Spend all your time waiting
\nFor that second chance
\nFor a break that would make it okay
\nThere\u2019s always some reason
\nTo feel not good enough
\nAnd its hard at the end of the day
\nI need some distraction
\nOh beautiful release
\nMemories seep through my veins
\nLet me be empty
\nOh and weightless and maybe I\u2019ll find some peace tonight<\/i><\/p>\n
The hues in the sky were such a perfect blend. The girl sitting on the back porch took another swallow of her lemonade. Looking down at the bottle, she sighed. The last two dollars to her name. The seven-eleven guy would have laughed.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s a girl to do?<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordy looked up at the fast emerging stars and sighed. For someone who hasn\u2019t worked a day in her life, a job sounded like a death sentence. But she\u2019d become comfortably numb. Even the tears wouldn\u2019t come.<\/p>\n
Between moments of positive thinking there were gut-wrenching glimpses of fear that sent her heart racing. Work? Provide for herself? Build a life from scratch? Alone?<\/p>\n
Shamefully, Cordy admitted a part of her had hoped Angelus would kill her when she\u2019s stepped into that alley. Put her out of her misery. Where she didn\u2019t feel like such a waste of human flesh.<\/p>\n
And then she\u2019d been lifting him to his feet. Helping him. Offering support when there was nothing left inside her to give.<\/p>\n
When her purpose to life was gone.<\/p>\n
Had she really been desperate enough to cling to the prospect of saving a bloodthirsty monster just to feel needed?<\/p>\n
And now, she was still in SunnyHell imposing on a man she didn\u2019t really know. Rupert Giles the librarian. The girl snorted caustically. Oh how the mighty had fallen, she snickered to herself.<\/p>\n
A fitting end to the Chase legacy. She had trouble recalling one Chase of importance. Then she frowned.<\/p>\n
Well there was that cousin of hers. The neurotic schizophrenic basket case. He was certainly a topic at big dinners.<\/p>\n
Oh the poor screwed up man.<\/i> Right before: How do you like my pearls darling? Oh did you hear? Cordelia is working at the local Burger king. Oh look, Martha\u2019s wearing a Gucci. Cordelia shops at the Hand-Me-Downs-R-Us now.<\/i><\/p>\n
Her fist tightened on the bottle. Yeah, the pity party played on in her mind every chance it got. Rising to her feet she watched the green of the trees blacken and she was so damned tired of feeling sorry for herself.<\/p>\n
Instinctively, her fingers wrapped around the bottle\u2019s neck before she pitched it past the backyard fence and heard it smash against a tree trunk.<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t a Chase. She was Cordelia. And Cordelia wasn\u2019t weak.<\/p>\n
She turned and opened the door back into the house. \u201cHey Giles?\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are unworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou deserve none of our sympathy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe price is high.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou alone are weak.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will decide who to choose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour destiny is eternal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will have to earn your keep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus awoke with a start. His knee hit ceramic with a bone-crunching thud as he struggled to piece together where he was.<\/p>\n
The florescent light of the bathroom wasn\u2019t bright enough. He touched his chest to find the scorched flesh missing. The lose T-shirt the watcher had put on him in his sleep \u2013 because there was no way in hell he would have ever worn it otherwise \u2013 was dry.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t bleeding. Blinking clear the haze of his recurring nightmare, Angelus took in the bathroom tiles with unabashed relief before letting his head fall back with an unneeded sigh.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t on the lab table. And he wasn\u2019t in hell.<\/p>\n
After fitful nights of remembering his last moments in hell, the hasty promise he\u2019d made and the torture he\u2019d endured with the Initiative, Angelus had hoped he\u2019d atoned enough.<\/p>\n
But apparently the glowing bastard didn\u2019t agree.<\/p>\n
He let his eyes fall shut and held back the amused grin at his own stupidity. And it had sounded so nice.<\/p>\n
His soul for his life.<\/p>\n
At the time, he\u2019d figured it would be a sweet deal. He\u2019d get out of hell and the nagging conscience of wuss-brain would be absent. He\u2019d be the biggest bad again. Only, he hadn\u2019t realized.<\/p>\n
Now his soul belonged to them and they had the Scourge of Europe on a leash. He\u2019d forgotten his life was eternal.<\/p>\n
The Powers That Be had acquired a new puppet and they obviously wanted him to make good on his promise. And for once in his unlife, Angelus had no idea what to do with himself.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
The alarm went off a lot sooner than she would have liked. The brunette was not used to sleeping anywhere else beside her bed and she\u2019d flatly refused to throw Giles out of his.<\/p>\n
Grabbing the little alarm clock, she switched it off before burying her head under the pillow. Until yesterday she hadn\u2019t even considered what she\u2019d do if she didn\u2019t graduate, but when last night Giles loaned her the alarm clock she took it with only a frown.<\/p>\n
Since she was in SunnyHell for a little longer, she might as well.<\/p>\n
There was the prospect of her trying to get back on the cheerleading squad maybe. And maybe miraculously she\u2019d pick up her grades that had been slumping to all kinds of new lows in the past few weeks.<\/p>\n
Who knew? The sun might forget to set,<\/i> she finished her thoughts with a muffled snort under the pillow.<\/p>\n
Then her nose twitched.<\/p>\n
Pulling the pillow away she frowned towards the archway that led into the kitchen. Couldn\u2019t be.<\/i> She took another whiff of the air and her stomach let out a confirmatory growl. Pancakes?<\/i><\/p>\n
Swinging her legs out of bed, the drowsy girl instinctively reached for the rubber band to secure her hair into a lose ponytail as she lumbered into the kitchen and blinked in alarm.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my god! What, were you Martha Stewart in another life?\u201d<\/p>\n
The kitchen was brewing with all sorts of delicious aromas and one very happy looking librarian was bustling about carrying cups and plates as breakfast for two was set on the little round table in the kitchen.<\/p>\n
He looked up at his rumpled houseguest. \u201cOh, you\u2019re awake. Just in time. Have a seat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordy stared as he set a cup of coffee next to a plate, which she assumed was for her, because Angelus was still in the bathroom. \u201cGiles? Why are you acting like a compulsive wife?\u201d<\/p>\n
The older man chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s rare I get to show off my inborn culinary skills, I\u2019m afraid. Let me show off a little. I hope you like coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDecafe,\u201d the girl pointed out helpfully, still watching him in wonder.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get some on my way.\u201d She frowned as he moved around the kitchen.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d She walked up to him and grabbed his arm with a glare. \u201cOkay, stop. Just stop for a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
When he looked up with a confused eyebrow, she sighed before releasing his arm. \u201cYou\u2019re freakin\u2019 me out okay? Even my mother wasn\u2019t this domesticated. It\u2019s just weird.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell I do this for myself every morning, so you\u2019ll have to get accustomed I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mouth twisted into a pretty, confused pout. \u201cAn English thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
Giles smiled slightly. \u201cMore of a bachelor thing I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou SO need a woman Giles.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll put it on my agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed a threatening finger at him. \u201cDon\u2019t. Don\u2019t even try to mock me okay? I\u2019m bereaved and for the record, I live off you now; I thought we agreed last night that you\u2019d let me do stuff around the house. From now on you\u2019ll wake me in the morning; I\u2019ll make my own b-fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTruly, it is not much\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI insist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watching the stony resoluteness on her beautiful face, he nodded.\u201d Agreed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood, now give me something to do.\u201d She looked around the kitchen, wondering what she would do without burning down his house. There must be something.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything\u2019s done. I was only going to run this mug of blood to Angelus.\u201d He opened the microwave.<\/p>\n
Cordelia rolled her eyes. \u201cOnly you\u2019d be concerned with his blood-involved sensibilities Giles. Gimmie.\u201d She took the mug from his hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll give the creepazoid his meal-in-a-cup and brush my teeth while I\u2019m at it. Being broke does not mean I have breakfast with mossy teeth.\u201d She shook her head as she walked out of the kitchen, grumbling about weird old Englishmen.<\/p>\n
Giles watched her go and took a deep breath. The girl might not be broken but there was a sad bitterness to her that did not suit her. He wondered how long it would take for her to find the need to smile with teeth.<\/p>\n
One thing he\u2019d always liked about her was her smile that went from her heart to her eyes. He hoped she hadn\u2019t lost them for good.<\/p>\n
Muttering and still shaking her head, Cordelia walked into the bathroom and sighed. The vampire was as still as death. His features calm and his chest unmoving; if Cordelia didn\u2019t know of things going bump in the night, she\u2019d be screaming.<\/p>\n
Her forehead creased as she watched his almost healed wounds and the perfect skin replacing the angry gash she\u2019d cleaned only yesterday, his handsome face almost flawless. He lay there like a marble statue and she took a second to let her eyes scan his lean frame.<\/p>\n
Maybe bringing him his blood every morning could be fun. He was easy on the eyes when he wasn\u2019t dying or leering like a lecher. Her eyes reached his face and her cheeks pinked.<\/p>\n
Oh oh. Almost like he was leering right now. Busted.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike what you see, Hazel?\u201d<\/p>\n
She let out an exaggerated breath complete with eye rolling. \u201cNothing, I\u2019ve never seen before. Have your breakfast and stop with the googly eyes. Won\u2019t work on me. I don\u2019t bother with slayer hand-me-downs. Come to think of it, I don\u2019t bother with anyone\u2019s hand-me-downs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The amber flashed in brown before he fixed his irate gaze at her impetuous and beautifully shaped mouth. \u201cAngelus belongs to no one sweetheart. It\u2019s you who will belong to me. If<\/i> I chose to have you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell for my sake then, I hope not. His grace is too costly to wear.\u201d She threw back at him nonchalantly as she placed the mug on the floor next to the tub.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeatrice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hazel eyes snapped up sharply at the rich timbre of his knowing voice.<\/p>\n
He smirked. \u201cI\u2019m familiar with Shakespeare\u2019s works. \u2018Much Ado About Nothing\u2019 was it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes narrowed at the deliberate coquettish lilt of his voice and eyes as she stood. \u201cThe play was a part of my literature class.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood memory you have. Lady Beatrice did have some of your more\u2026\u201d She watched him with a raised eyebrow as if daring him to say it and he grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWillful attributes,\u201d he finished with a wink.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take it as a compliment.\u201d She turned towards the mirror and grabbed her toothbrush and unabashedly went ahead with the task of brushing her teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was meant as one, baby. Ancient version of the whole cute, bitchy cheerleader persona, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gritting her teeth, she rinsed before looking up into the mirror, not the least bit unnerved by his lack of reflection.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot anymore considering I haven\u2019t really been big on school these past few weeks, seeing as life\u2019s been busy getting screwed over. They took me off the squad. Thanks for reminding me asswipe. I feel so much better.\u201d She threw back with venom as she cleaned her brush and grabbed the towel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI aim to please.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning around, she hung the towel back before meeting his eyes apathetically. \u201cIn that case Angelus; please go screw yourself.\u201d With that she left the vampire in the bathroom grinning after her.<\/p>\n
He pulled the mug to his lips. \u201cShe likes me.\u201d And settled back to enjoy his warm blood.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Willow heard the cries right as she sprinted past the gate of the cemetery. Maybe they should have brought Xander along, but the boy had seemed distracted and Buffy had volunteered to walk her back to Giles\u2019.<\/p>\n
Who\u2019d have thunk Buffy was not slayer-ed out even after dusting an entire pack of vampires last night.<\/p>\n
Willow dug out her stake from her bag as she ran up to the clearing and screeched to a halt. \u201cOh no. This is not good. Not good at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy heard a snarl behind her and turned just in time to see the vampire lunge for her, his demon visage conveniently in place. His claws came for her face and she fell to her hands, her leg sweeping out easily as she sent him crashing to the floor.<\/p>\n
The stake went through his heart.<\/p>\n
Willow\u2019s eyes widened when a rather dirty looking female charged Buffy with fangs drawn. \u201cBuffy, look out!\u201d The witch took one quick breath before jumping into the fray!<\/p>\n
Buffy\u2019s breath came out in a rather frustrated grunt when she felt the arms grab her from behind. With a muffled cry she threw her elbow back into the vampire\u2019s gut; her foot coming hard on the boot.<\/p>\n
Incensed by the days events and her mind screaming of what-ifs, she reached up and behind her, grabbed the vampire by her collar and bent down hauling her off her back and flat on the ground. Before the vampire could look up the stake was rammed into her heart.<\/p>\n
With a cry of pain she exploded into dust. \u201cNever grab me from behind.\u201d Buffy glared down saucily.<\/p>\n
\u201cAwosers!\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy pivoted on the sharp yelp as she saw Willow get tackled by a rather large snarling vampire. \u201cPick on someone your own size!\u201d She jumped up into a snap kick and the heel of her boot landed at the base of his neck knocking him clear off his feet.<\/p>\n
Before she could stake the leathered asshole for attacking her friend she was grabbed by the tie of her lose braid and yanked back. With a yelp of pain Buffy hit the hard body behind her.<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t I say never grab\u2026\u201d She stopped in mid sentence when she stared up into the eyes one very large, scaly gray demon with burning red eyes snarling in her face, his fangs dripping with saliva. \u201cOh, hello.\u201d<\/p>\n
Willow had by that time found her stake and this time when the vampire tackled her to the ground her stake impaled him and she was greeted with a mouthful of dust.<\/p>\n
Hacking and coughing she looked up just in time to see Buffy sail over her head and land with a crack against the mausoleum wall behind her.<\/p>\n
Willow\u2019s eyes slowly traced up the burly limbs of the demon before she saw the ugly snarl. \u201cOooh\u2026I\u2019m in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
The redhead cringed as the claws came for her face and then she heard the crack-shots. Bursts of explosion in the air so sharp, her eyes snapped open with alarm as the huge demon stumbled before taking off in a run. Away from her.<\/p>\n
Panting with fear and covered with dust, the young girl lifted her eyes to see combat boots under gray jeans and a light navy blue T-shirt below one very concerned face of a man she\u2019d never seen in her life.<\/p>\n
And he wasn\u2019t bad looking.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
He held out a hand and Willow instinctively reached out for the offered help and rose to her feet. Dusting herself, she blinked still disoriented when she noticed a small glistening object caught in the soft wool of her sweater.<\/p>\n
Her brow creased when she pulled away the small plastic chip. Then her eyes widened.<\/p>\n
\u201cBUFFY!\u201d Whipping around, Willow ran towards the groaning slayer as she sat up, rubbing her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone get the number of that freight train?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBuffy, you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid I kill it?\u201d The slayer swayed on her feet until she felt a strong pair of hands grab her arm and looked up with a confused frown into brown eyes. \u201cAnd what are YOU doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
The man with the crooked smile tightened his grip on her until she stood on her own weight. \u201cHelping you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Pulling her arm away Buffy glared at him slightly perturbed. \u201cI know you\u2019re helping! Why are you helping?\u201d<\/p>\n
Willow cleared her throat. \u201cAh, Buffy, this man chased away the gray slimy demon thingie. I don\u2019t think we should be mean. He did save us.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the slayer\u2019s irritated growl Willow quickly amended. \u201cNot that you couldn\u2019t have handled it, but it ran away.\u201d Willow tried her best sad face. \u201cDamn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy looked up at the lightly dressed man. \u201cI could have too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t doubt it.\u201d Hiding a smile he held out his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Riley Finn.\u201d<\/p>\n