Part 3<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordelia was caught between the bathroom door and the tub. One of her hands was gripping the doorpost while the other was stuck to the rim of her tub and she literally felt like she was going to snap in two.<\/p>\n
\u201cLET GO!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to go, you dramatic dame!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can hold it!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think I can hold it woman! Let go of the damned door.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going with you in my head!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh for! This is stupid! This is ridiculous! Will you please just go to the stupid bathroom and I promise I\u2019ll keep my eyes closed.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first time in her life Cordelia had no idea who to glare at while she stood there stretched to her limit, Angelus pulling and fighting for control even when she knew she couldn\u2019t keep this up longer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She could almost feel the demon start to give in and the grip on the tub loosened. ~Look May Queen. I don\u2019t want to be here as much as you don\u2019t want me to watch you go take a leak.~<\/p>\n
~PEE!~<\/p>\n
~PEE! Whatever! The point is you can\u2019t hold it anymore and I\u2019m going out of my mind will you just PLEASE let go of the fucking door before you embarrass us both!~<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Five minutes and teeth brushing fiasco later Cordelia stood in front of her closet a yawn nearly tearing up her eyes as she tried to straighten her back. \u201cOh god, I can\u2019t believe you kept me up all night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell if you had listened to me we could have gotten better rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not that bendy Angelus and I\u2019m NOT touching myself with you in my body.\u201d She reached out and snatched a blue cashmere sweater left over from better days. With the most jaded man in her head, Cordelia wanted to wear something innocent.<\/p>\n
It was a natural defense mechanism. The sweater was flung across the floor an she stared as it slid under her bed. \u201cWhat is your damage!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh for fucks sake it\u2019s baby blue!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSO!\u201d She couldn\u2019t help let out an outraged snort. \u201cME! This is MY body. I\u2019m the one wearing the clothes and I look damned good in baby blue you blood sucking twit born in the 18th century!!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, you do have a delectable body and second of all you do have me in your head so tell me you have something sexier than prissy little school room miss apparel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mouth dropped open. ~Are you calling me a prude? ME! The boy slayer of Sunnyhell?~<\/p>\n
~If the shoe fits my lady. Now where\u2019s that lovely black leather miniskirt.~ She rolled her eyes as her hand shot forward and started rummage though her neat stack of skirts. \u201cAHAH! This will do nicely. Got something in red Queen Bee?\u201d<\/p>\n
~I\u2019m not wearing Angelus-y clothes! Now I know why Angel can\u2019t get past wearing basic black, he has your bland fashion sense.~<\/p>\n
~I bet you\u2019d look damn good in leather Hazel.~<\/p>\n
~I look damn good in anything I wear!~ Stalking over she grabbed the blue sweater, but before she could reach out and grab it her legs were swiped out from under her and she fell smack on her back onto the bed. Panting and slightly shaken from the fall, she sat up glaring. ~That\u2019s it! I\u2019m going to wear a tent instead!~<\/p>\n
~Let\u2019s not get bitter Hazel. You\u2019ll wrinkle faster. Fuck Cor, if I had a body like yours I\u2019d wear what accents those delicious curves best and with stems like you\u2019ve got; a leather skirt will just say it all.~<\/p>\n
And there with those words whispered in her head Cordelia Chase stood in front of her mirror, her lower lip caught between her teeth. God, it had been such a long time since she\u2019d felt like a woman and a woman who could charge up a room by just walking into it.<\/p>\n
The whole let down of not being able to make it as an actress and be independent had been a harder kick in the stomach than anyone knew. From getting everything you want to scrounging and picking the next best thing Cordelia Chase was just Cordy now.<\/p>\n
Somewhere along the lines she\u2019d forgotten about the intrinsic sexiness that was a part of who she was. And after the whole demon babies incident, she had no desire to try her hand at dating.<\/p>\n
~One step at a time Hazel.~<\/p>\n
Taking a deep breath she grabbed a soft red sweater with a rather dipping V-neck and held it up. \u201cI was saving this for a party.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh like you\u2019re ever going to be invited to one. Newsflash cheerleader. You\u2019re one of the heroes now. You don\u2019t get days off.\u201d Her night shirt was whipped off her head.<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s eyes widened as one of her hands slid up her stomach and she growled. \u201cHands OFF!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you expect to get dressed then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my eyes closed and with you acting the gentleman!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDarling, I wasn\u2019t a gentleman even when I was a man; will you just fucking strip. It\u2019s not like you\u2019ve got something I\u2019ve never seen.\u201d<\/p>\n
~Not mine you haven\u2019t.~ She couldn\u2019t hold a smile as she kicked off her pajamas and stepped into the skirt.<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t believe she was actually getting fashion advice from the Scourge of Europe. It was a tragic farce Cordelia herself would have laughed at a few years ago. Before she knew that vampires and demons were for real.<\/p>\n
~I\u2019m in your head. I even recall the lovely little tirade you had with yourself in front of your full length mirror. What do you think Angel would say when he finds out you\u2019re such a fucking exhibitionist?~<\/p>\n
\u201cOh god!\u201d The defeated whine was torn from her lips as she leaned her head forward against the closed closet. Although, she had more control on her body she didn\u2019t know how she was going to be able to make him shut up.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d kept complaining and inciting her all night. And the shittiest part was he knew it was turning her on. He knew she wanted to touch herself and she knew that if she had fallen asleep she\u2019d have woken up in the middle of an orgasm if he had his way.<\/p>\n
It was flattering that Angelus was so persistent, but Cordelia chase was no fool. The demon entity might have been sharing her head, but the memories flooding her mind were not just her own. They were his and Angel\u2019s and most of them were not pleasant for her.<\/p>\n
~Dear god Hazel Where\u2019s the whip?~<\/p>\n
~WILL YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR NOSE OUT OF MY SEXUAL FANTASIES!!!\u201d<\/p>\n
~Uh\u2026\u2026..nope? So about this little diary you keep of your sexy dreams\u2026~<\/p>\n
Her head thumped against the hard wood of her closet until the ache in her head clouded everything besides the splintering headache.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Angel walked out of his room and fixed the collar of his black shirt as he descended the stairs. Walking into the lobby he blinked when he found Charles Gunn standing at the counter with Wesley on the other side looking down at a magazine.<\/p>\n
Walking over silently he stood there listening to their hushed voices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always liked the one with the red leather you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s left eyebrow hiked up.<\/p>\n
Wesley was intent on staring down at the open magazine. \u201cI\u2019m partial to the black silk and fishnet stocking I\u2019m afraid. The woman does have legs to carry them off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crossing his arms he glared at them both. \u201cBonding over porn?\u201d<\/p>\n
Both men jerked away from the magazine and looked turning various shades of red as they noticed Angel standing behind them. Gunn was the first to speak. \u201cGawd Angel! You always sneak up on people?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPorn?\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley coughed slightly before gathering the thin magazine close. \u201cComic books actually. We were discussing the costume changes of Electra.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCarmen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo the gorgeous ninja chick usually hanging around Matt Murdock.\u201d<\/p>\n
This time Angel couldn\u2019t hold the frown. \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Marvelverse dog; you won\u2019t get it.\u201d Gunn stuck the magazine into the back pocket of his pants. \u201cSo Wes here tells me you guys have yourselves a situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel sighed before walking into the little make shift coffee table and fridge behind the counter before grabbing himself a mug of blood. \u201cYeah. Cordelia had a little accident last night. A spell back fired.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMagic usually does from what I\u2019m told.\u201d Gunn snickered before throwing a teasing glance towards Wesley.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not all that bad. In fact I did a pretty good summoning spell when we came into this hotel. It was Cordelia\u2019s fault really.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou called the cavalry?\u201d Gunn leaned against the counter, his elbow resting against the top as Angel warmed his blood.<\/p>\n
\u201cI called Giles. He wasn\u2019t happy to hear from me, but he agreed to look in on reversing the spell.\u201d Behind him he heard the distinct jingle of the door before Gunn let out a slow whistle.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh I don\u2019t know if reversing it would be a good idea. Wes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh dear lord!\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel turned, raising the mug to his lips for his first sip of breakfast and met the sight before him.<\/p>\n
If he\u2019d been breathing he probably would have stopped.<\/p>\n
Framed with the slightly breezy morning and the golden sunlight that pooled in through the open door stood one Cordelia Chase.<\/p>\n
Only it wasn\u2019t the Cordelia they met everyday. It was Cordelia chase, dark hair tumbling down her back, wearing a black leather skirt that cut below the curve of her ass, a blood red sweater than hung halfway off one shoulder and calf length boots as black as sin giving her the added inches she didn\u2019t really need and her eyes turned to rest on the stunned vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh good you\u2019re all here!\u201d She let the door slide shut behind her and the golden aura around her disappeared as she walked towards the three men. Angel caught the distinct swagger in her gait as she dumped her bag on the couch before walking towards the counter looking irked and sexy as hell.<\/p>\n
He had to mentally remind himself that Angelus was in there. Cordelia was never this brazen!<\/i> He frowned letting his eyes run over her again as his mind drifted to her rule as Queen C back in Sunnydale.<\/p>\n
Was she?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cPlease tell me you\u2019ve got this figured out. Please!\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley hadn\u2019t stopped staring. Gunn was trying really hard not to smile and Angel\u2019s eyes were fixed on the soft curve of her shoulder.<\/p>\n
When none of them spoke she blinked leaning closer to Angel\u2019s stoic face. \u201cGuys?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you the fucking skirt was sexy Hazel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley blinked startled before he cleared his throat and shifted behind the counter. Gunn let his eyes travel over the woman with appreciation and Angel felt his fingers tighten on his mug.<\/p>\n
Those clothes and she had to look at them with that come-hither flutter of her eyes? If this was Cordelia\u2019s idea of a joke he wasn\u2019t amused. \u201cDid Angelus put you up to this?\u201d<\/p>\n
The seer blew the air out of her lungs explosively before rolling her eyes. \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t shut up; I didn\u2019t have a choice. Besides, they\u2019re just clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel would have to disagree.<\/p>\n
The clothes weren\u2019t just clothes. They were a second skin and every inch was more enticing when she moved. He wondered if he dropped his mug on the floor she might reach down to\u2026<\/p>\n
Goddamit!<\/i><\/p>\n
Angel shook his head almost furious with this train of thought. Two hundred and some year old vampire reduced to cheap tactics because his coworker suddenly wore something he liked? What the hell was he, an adolescent teenager?<\/p>\n
Raising the blood to his mouth he started to drink. Hunger would shut out the spinning images of Cordelia Chase sliding back into his arms as his hand slid up to cup one breast possessively.<\/p>\n
Cordelia didn\u2019t hear the soft growl from her vampire boss as she leaned against the counter next to Gunn.<\/p>\n
~The black dude is staring at your ass Cor.~<\/p>\n
~I can tell you perceptive bastard!~<\/p>\n
~Sticks and stones Hazel.~<\/p>\n
~Can we shut up about my ass please?~<\/p>\n
~Mmmm but what a nice ass it is.~<\/p>\n
Wesley let out an undignified squawk and Angel reached out and grabbed Cordelia\u2019s hand that was sliding down the curve of her own ass as he drowned his breakfast in one last swallow.<\/p>\n
The woman looked up with startled hazel eyes and he sighed. \u201cWatch the hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mouth spread into a blatantly seductive smile as she leaned a little closer to Gunn who now stood beside Angel with wide black eyes nearly falling out of his head. \u201cOh but you know what they say Angelpuss. When you\u2019ve got it flaunt it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The muscle in Angel\u2019s jaw worked as she ran one blood red nail down a frozen Gunn\u2019s jaw and Angel had no choice but to grab her other hand too with half a mind to throw her over his shoulder and this time he couldn\u2019t blame the baser instinct on his demon.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia! Get a hold of yourself.\u201d Before I hold you for you woman.<\/i><\/p>\n
The girl groaned softly her eyes sliding shut. \u201cGod! I\u2019m sorry okay! I didn\u2019t get a lot of sleep last night and this nocturnal psycho doesn\u2019t need much.\u201d With a deeper sigh that drew every male eye to the plunging neckline she pulled her wrists out of Angel\u2019s grasp.<\/p>\n
\u201cA cup of coffee would be greatly appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley was the first one who cleared his throat uncomfortably before stepping away. \u201cI\u2019ll get it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walking around the counter Angel followed Cordelia to the couch where she dropped unceremoniously, the skirt hiking further up her thighs.<\/p>\n
Angel wondered if this woman had the right to look this damned delicious and, although he knew she exploited every womanly trait she had to get men to do her bidding, he\u2019d never seen his best friend this blatantly inviting.<\/p>\n
Laying her head back against the back of the couch she sighed. \u201cGive me some good news Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
He wished he had more than just reassurance. \u201cI called Giles. He said he\u2019ll get back to me soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lifting her head, she watched the concern chase doubt across his face. \u201cHow soon?\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire shrugged not able to meet her eyes.<\/p>\n
A frown stretched across her forehead as she sat up straighter. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBuffy picked up the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew the slayer bitch would pop up sooner or later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngelus, just shut up for a second. Angel you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire nodded before lifting his gaze to meet hers. \u201cYou know I don\u2019t even remember why anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hazel softened and Cordelia couldn\u2019t help the flashing of images running through her mind. The emotions of love, frustration and betrayed anger nearly made her gasp at the mention of the slayer in context to Angel.<\/p>\n
~Angelus! Stop the stupid kaleidoscope of doom. I get it. You don\u2019t like the slayer. Point taken.~<\/p>\n
~He doesn\u2019t either anymore.~<\/p>\n
She sighed. ~I\u2019m realizing that. But I don\u2019t think he does. So just shush.~<\/p>\n
~Don\u2019t shush me!~<\/p>\n
~SHHHHHHH!~<\/p>\n
She felt the demon recede huffily before she put a comforting hand on Angel\u2019s shoulder. \u201cCome on Broody. You\u2019ve already realized its not the same with the whole Faith episode. She\u2019s rather wrapped up in her world of slaying you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019m a vampire. I get that.\u201d At the sound of the familiar nickname he looked up at her. In this new leather encased, and draped with red body it was hard to imagine this woman without sexual reference.<\/p>\n
The delicious curve of her throat was fully exposed. The creamed firmness in her thighs was accented with the black skirt and boots and just the curling of her dark mahogany hair was a distraction. How was he supposed to reassure her in his state when every instinct the vampire had screamed possession instead of protection?<\/p>\n
He shook his head slightly, partly to clear it and partly to her question. \u201cBut there\u2019s been little purpose in my life before this Cordy. I sort of forgot why I was doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShoeshine?\u201d<\/p>\n
His mouth quirked at the corner. \u201cNo. It was her in the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut not now?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head. Watching the utter understanding shining in those hazel orbs, the hand on his shoulder warming skin that had no right to feel warmth. And she was still here. Fighting his demons for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Not now. And while she was asking me how I\u2019m doing and that she was sorry for being presumptuous; I knew that wasn\u2019t what she was feeling. And while I was telling her that I missed her and that I was getting by; I knew what I really wanted to say was that I\u2019m happy, not blissful, but happy with what I have here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chocolate brown eyes lifted to meet hers. \u201cWith you and Doyle before and Wesley now and even Gunn. I like that here\u2019s finally a place that I can call my own. Call home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNice speech soulboy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia slapped a hand over her mouth at the insensitive observation. ~Heartless creep!~<\/p>\n
~Sightless bitch.~<\/p>\n
~WHAT!~<\/p>\n
~You know this would be a good time to kiss the living daylight out of him.~<\/p>\n
Angel blinked, startled as her hazel eyes widened. \u201cWhat?\u201d Maybe he imagined it, but for a split second he could have sworn she slid closer her eyes dropping to his mouth, but then she was jerking away shaking her head as she jumped to her feet.<\/p>\n
When the soft shift in her scent reached his nostrils they flared and he watched her with concern. \u201cCordy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIdiot! Idiot! Idiot! IDIOT!\u201d Cordelia hissed, fighting for control, trying to shut the nagging and chuckling demon out of her head long enough to control the heat building in her chest and flushing her skin. When the first image of Angel nakedness from his own eyes hit her, she reeled.<\/p>\n
The smooth chest lying in the bath tub. Perfectly muscled legs sliding under the bed covers. Powerful arms slamming into the punching bag, And then she gasped, as the first wave of dizzying pleasure shook her entire frame and she squeezed her eyes tighter, the image of Angel\u2019s torso, the stroke of his hand and the familiar name echoing off the walls forcing her to squeeze her eyes tighter.<\/p>\n
~Stop it! Stop it right now!~<\/p>\n
~Hot virile male vampire with screwed up insecurities that just beg to be comforted Hazel. Where\u2019s that maternal instinct of yours?~<\/p>\n
~Lunching! Angel is my boss, the slayers ex-catch and I don\u2019t take hand me downs Angelus!~<\/p>\n
~I\u2019m not a fucking hand me down Cor!~<\/p>\n
~He\u2019s my best friend you psycho! This is the one relationship I\u2019m not fucking with; you hear me! NOT!~<\/p>\n
Angel waited while the myriad of emotions flickered of Cordelia Chase\u2019s face while she battled his demon. Of all the things he\u2019d watched Cordelia do for him Angel hadn\u2019t expected or had at least hoped she\u2019d never had to meet Angelus again.<\/p>\n
Somewhere along the lines of helping the helpless and then helping Cordelia, he\u2019d come to letting her help him. When he\u2019d been trying to explain about Buffy, he\u2019d been trying to reassure her that he wasn\u2019t going to let anything happen to her.<\/p>\n
That no matter what crap his demon was screaming in her head, she was one of them. She belonged with him. \u201cCordy?\u201d<\/p>\n
She gulped air finally gathering enough strength to meet his eyes. \u201cCoffee?\u201d<\/p>\n
And he watched her grab the mug from Wesley as soon as the man walked out with it.<\/p>\n
He met Wesley\u2019s concerned eyes before walking to the phone. Giles was getting his English bumpkin butt here even if Angel would have to drag it here himself.<\/p>\n
He couldn\u2019t let Cordelia deal with Angelus.<\/p>\n
The bastard knew too much.<\/p>\n