{"id":3972,"date":"2015-07-05T22:13:25","date_gmt":"2015-07-05T21:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=3972"},"modified":"2015-07-06T00:51:54","modified_gmt":"2015-07-05T23:51:54","slug":"bad-timing-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2015\/07\/05\/bad-timing-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Bad Timing. 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 6<\/b>: Amateur Detective<\/em><\/p>\n

Skulking around cemeteries for the better part of six years should mean that you don\u2019t get spooked easily. But Buffy was. Spooked that is. It was three in the morning and she was in the Hyperion lobby and it was dark and she was alone and the place was really big and hell, it looked haunted during the DAYTIME so yeah, she was a little spooked.<\/p>\n

She knew she should be asleep in the room she was sharing with Dawn, but the whole sleep thing just wasn\u2019t working for her. The baby had been crying in the room down the hall for the past ten minutes and she was in a strange bed and\u2026Okay, a small, very twisted part of me misses Spike. <\/i><\/p>\n

It was weird, cause it wasn\u2019t like she was horny and she missed sex with Spike (all though she wouldn\u2019t turn it down right now if it was offered). I just miss HIM. Talking to him, knocking him around a little.<\/i><\/p>\n

It was very disturbing to realize just how large a part of her life Spike had become. How not a day went by without seeing him. Oh lord, I came here to forget about Spike, not wander around thinking about him. <\/i>Buffy decided to do some subtle snooping, for distraction.<\/p>\n

She walked over to where the desks were and saw a picture of her in a silver frame. It was one with Xander and Willow when they were at the Bronze\u2014it looked like senior year of high school. Angel has a picture of me on his desk. That has to mean something right?<\/i> The thought warmed her for a second, until she realized that she didn\u2019t remember posing for Angel.<\/p>\n

In fact the idea of Angel walking around Sunnydale with a camera seemed a little ridiculous. So then\u2026 <\/i>Buffy looked down at the desk the picture rested on. The presence of a bottle of perfume and a computer meant that the picture and the desk weren\u2019t Angel\u2019s, they were Cordelia\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Buffy really didn\u2019t want to think about why Cordy had pictures of the Scoobies on her desk. Didn\u2019t she hate all of us?<\/i><\/p>\n

Even the desk spoke of how much Cordelia had changed. There was a Parents magazine tucked in between Cosmos. There was a schedule for a Mommy and Me swim class lying on the chair. It was very disconcerting, so Buffy walked over to the other desk.<\/p>\n

This was Angel\u2019s. It was relatively bare. There was a pad of paper, a few pens, and a book of short stories by Edgar Allen Poe. Ahhh, that\u2019s my stuffy 250-year-old boyfriend. <\/i>But looking closer, Buffy saw other things.<\/p>\n

There was a Sony Discman that had a piece of tape that said GUNN on it. There was a bottle of OPI nail polish in \u201cchick flick cherry\u201d that Buffy prayed was Cordelia\u2019s. It was sitting on top of a post-it from Wes, saying that Angel still owed him for those Laker tickets.<\/p>\n

And the calendar on the right hand corner of the desk had \u201cFred\u2019s B-day\u201d written on it, with a red circle around the date.<\/p>\n

It was so strange, seeing that other people existed for Angel now; once she was his entire world. Buffy looked around the empty room, to make sure no one was coming, and then opened the top desk drawer. There wasn\u2019t much in there. There was a musty smelling book an ancient demon rituals. An invoice. Two pacifiers. And a piece of paper, no it was a picture, lying face down. Buffy picked it up and turned it over and stopped breathing.<\/p>\n

It was of Angel and Cordelia with Connor. Neither of them had been looking at the camera\u2014they clearly hadn\u2019t known they were having their picture taken. Cordelia was sitting on the couch in what must be her apartment. Her hair was longer and less blond\u2014put up in a messy ponytail\u2014and the red sweatshirt she wore had a stain on the upper right corner.<\/p>\n

The baby was asleep in her arms with this peaceful blissed out expression on his face. Angel was crouching on his knees behind the couch. One arm was around Cordy\u2019s shoulder while the other reached toward Connor. Cordelia\u2019s head was arched back and she was shooting a huge smile at Angel. Angel was also smiling, a small secret smile, as he looked down, tilting his head toward her.<\/p>\n

Buffy didn\u2019t know what this picture meant. She didn\u2019t like the things that it could mean. She didn\u2019t like that Angel kept the picture in his drawer. Maybe, maybe he doesn\u2019t have that many pictures of Connor. Maybe this is the only picture he has and Cordelia just happens to be in it. Why couldn\u2019t the guy just have taken his son to the portrait studio at Sears, if he was so hard up for pictures? <\/i><\/p>\n

Buffy acknowledged that reason and rationality were clearing running scarce, then she did something even more irrational. She stuffed the picture into her back pocket. She didn\u2019t know why but she couldn\u2019t stop herself from doing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuffy.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Angel\u2019s voice. Wasn\u2019t she supposed to be able to sense when vampires were approaching? She quickly turned her head towards the sound of his voice. He was slowly coming out of the shadows with a wiggling Connor in his arms. \u201cWhat are you doing up so late?\u201d he asked as he walked over to the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cThree in the morning really isn\u2019t all that late,\u201d Buffy said as she followed him into the kitchen and watched him take a frozen pacifier out of the fridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell I don\u2019t know if I agree with you, but Connor certainly does.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should be more tired, I guess. It\u2019s hard to relax and go to sleep if I haven\u2019t patrolled.\u201d
\nAngel didn\u2019t say anything and for a minute Buffy just watched him with the baby. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever get used to that.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s weird,\u201d she commented. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s not bad weird, but it is different, to see you with him, like that. Makes me wonder what happened to my brooding tai-chi-doing boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel\u2019s hand stilled on Connor\u2019s back when he noted that Buffy had used the word boyfriend and it had a disturbingly \u201cpresent tense\u201d feel to it. Buffy didn\u2019t notice it, but she did notice how Angel kept looking around the hotel nervously. \u201cAngel, it\u2019s okay, I understand exactly how you feel, because I feel it too,\u201d she said soothingly, hoping to make him less nervous.<\/p>\n

Angel merely shot a confused look in her direction so Buffy went on. \u201cBeing together again, its bound to be a little strange. All those old feelings coming rushing back again, it\u2019s bound to be a little\u2026disconcerting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel was definitely disconcerted. What the hell is Buffy talking about? And since when am I still her boyfriend? <\/i>Angel wasn\u2019t nervous because he was alone with Buffy. He was nervous because if he didn\u2019t head back upstairs soon, Cordy would start to wonder what had happened and then she would come downstairs and\u2026<\/p>\n

We have a hard enough time justifying it to ourselves when Cordelia spends the night, I doubt trying to make Buffy understand would make it any easier.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cBuffy, look, I\u2014\u201d. There was a sudden noise and Angel and Buffy both turned to see Cordelia quietly walking down the stairs. She stopped when she caught both pairs of eyes on her.<\/p>\n

Cordelia immediately noted the suspicious way Buffy\u2019s eyes roamed over her and inwardly cringed. Why did I get out of bed? Why? <\/i>She looked at Angel and saw the whole \u201cdeer caught in the headlights\u201d thing he had going and this time she gritted her teeth.<\/p>\n

So, he must REALLY not want Buffy to know that Cordelia had been upstairs with him. Oh, cause the idea of me and Angel in bed together, that\u2019s what, like too horrific to contemplate? Okay, fine. I\u2019ll rescue him. Don\u2019t want to cause any problems for the star-crossed lovers, now would I?<\/i><\/p>\n

Cordelia called on the inner soap-opera-star. \u201cWow, I didn\u2019t think it would be so crowded down here at almost four in the morning. I, uh, fell asleep in Fred\u2019s room. We stayed up late doing that thing where girls just lay there and talk, you know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGirl talk?\u201d Buffy offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, exactly. So I must have fallen asleep. And then I just woke up cause I was, um, thirsty, so I called out to Dennis to bring me a glass of water and that\u2019s when I realized that I wasn\u2019t at home.\u201d Nice job, Cordy. I threw in a few extra details, did the whole \u2018I\u2019m confused cause I just woke up thing.\u2019 Man, I so deserve an Emmy. Or at least a People\u2019s Choice Award.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d she said glaring at Angel, \u201cI\u2019ll just get my purse and be on my way.\u201d No one spoke again until she reached the bottom of the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow Cordy,\u201d Buffy said, \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen you this way before. All messy\u2026and tired looking.\u201d Cordelia bit back a retort and walked over to her desk. But Buffy wasn\u2019t going to let this one go. \u201cSeriously Angel, look at her. Does Cordelia remind you at all of the fashionista she was in high school?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia waited a split second for Angel to put the baby down and knock Buffy the fuck out, but then she remembered that would only happen in a perfect world. The world she lived in: clearly not perfect, since Angel apparently didn\u2019t feel the need to defend her at all.<\/p>\n

Angel noted the way Cordelia had flinched at Buffy\u2019s words. He was angry that his seer was hurting and he was confused as to why Buffy was saying those things. But most of all, he didn\u2019t know what to say. Who to support.<\/p>\n

Finally he just quietly said, \u201cShe\u2019s nothing like she was then.\u201d Cordelia bit her lip and shook her head slightly. It was nice, but a thinly veiled compliment that Buffy wouldn\u2019t understand at all was not the kind of back up Cordelia had been looking for.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Angel,\u201d Buffy agreed. \u201cI don\u2019t think the old Cordelia even owned a sweatshirt. I guess someone finally found the softer side of Sears herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia guessed that somewhere, deep down, she probably deserved a comment like that. After all she had never been a saint, even now. But it still hurt. She hated that Buffy made her feel ashamed of who she had been AND who she was now. She hated being put down in front of her best friend and getting no visible reaction.<\/p>\n

In that moment, Cordelia hated Buffy and Angel. Just get out of here. No good can come from prolonging this. Just leave.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as fun as this is, it\u2019s late. I\u2019ll see you three tomorrow.\u201d Cordy shot a final glare at Angel, yanked open the door, and walked out\u2026only to immediately walk back in backwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you coming or going Cordelia, make up your mind,\u201d Buffy said, before she saw the reason Cordy had walked back inside. There, in the door of the Hyperion, in the middle of L.A., where Buffy had fled to get away from Spike, was\u2026Spike. She froze.<\/p>\n

Angel however, reacted immediately. He grabbed Cordelia, yanked her behind him, thrust her the baby, and put on his game face, all in about three seconds.<\/p>\n

Buffy shook off the shock and went to stand in front of Spike. \u201cWhat the hell are you doing here?\u201d she yelled. Angel turned to look at Buffy. The way she yelled at Spike, that\u2019s not how you yelled at your enemy. That\u2019s how you yell at exasperating, frustrating people that you happen to almost love.<\/p>\n

Angel knew, cause that\u2019s how he yelled at Cordy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, so you\u2019re the one who leaves town, lies about where you\u2019re going, and I\u2019M the one who is getting screamed at,\u201d Spike said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s none of your business where I go and who I go to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClearly you were concerned about what I\u2019d think, otherwise why\u2019d you go and lie about it,\u201d Spike shot back. \u201cWhy did you think you couldn\u2019t tell me that you\u2019d come here, to see him,\u201d he sneered, gesturing to Angel. Angel growled lowly, but didn\u2019t speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t tell you cause I knew you\u2019d show up here. And I don\u2019t want you here. I don\u2019t want you anywhere near me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh really,\u201d Spike drawled reaching for his cigarettes. \u201cThat\u2019s not what you sa\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, sorry to interrupt,\u201d Cordy said stepping out from behind Angel before he could stop her. \u201cNot to interfere with the whole lovers quarrel your doing but smoking is like such a big no-no here. You know, with the baby and all.\u201d Spike didn\u2019t seem to pick up on the baby reference but he did put the cigarettes away before turning back to Buffy.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t call me that. Why are you here, why did you come here?\u201d Buffy said angrily.<\/p>\n

Angel decided the time had come to speak up. He didn\u2019t know what was going on between Buffy and Spike and he didn\u2019t want to. He just wanted Spike out and Cordelia and Connor back upstairs in his bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpike, I for one don\u2019t care why you are here. I just want you gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhhh, I\u2019m wounded. This is how you are greeting family these days.\u201d Trying to lesson the tension, Spike turned to Cordelia. \u201cCheerleader. Like the new look. It says \u2018I\u2019m casual, yet still cuddly\u2019.\u201d Cordelia smiled before she could stop herself and Angel growled again, this time loud enough for everyone to hear.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh chill, ya giant poof. Didn\u2019t the Scoobs tell you? I\u2019m chipped. Can\u2019t harm the walking Happy Meals. I fight the evil now, you know, all the stuff that goes bump in the night? I\u2019m on your team now. Ask Buffy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need to ask Buffy anything. I know that I want you out of here and away from my family. Chip or no chip, I don\u2019t trust you.\u201d<\/p>\n

For some reason, Buffy was slightly annoyed with Angel\u2019s tone. I mean, I don\u2019t want Spike here either, but I should handle throwing him out. And Angel didn\u2019t have to be so mean. <\/i>She was also slightly annoyed at the vague flirtation Spike had thrown towards Cordelia.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpike, we\u2019ll talk about this when we get back to Sunnydale. You should go home now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere. Don\u2019t think I don\u2019t know what you\u2019re trying to do by coming here Slayer. I know you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. You don\u2019t. You don\u2019t know me at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not leaving until we talk about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so not talking to you now Spike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine. Than Angel, I\u2019d like a room for the weekend. Smoking of course, preferably a queen sized bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not staying here,\u201d Angel and Buffy said at the exact same time. The two of them and Spike now stood very close together right in front of the door. All of the sudden, Angel\u2019s head shot up. Cause if he wasn\u2019t mistaken, he smelled something on Buffy and he smelled the same thing on Spike.<\/p>\n

Sex. They were having sex. Presumably with each other. Angel tried to process this while Spike and Buffy had a staring contest, until, finally, a voice of reason was heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh that\u2019s it. It\u2019s four in the morning. I\u2019m tired. I want to go home. I can\u2019t go home knowing that Connor is going to have to listen to you three fight all night. So here\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen. Spike, you can\u2019t stay here. You tortured Angel the last time you came to town. Your record with us is not good. However, since daylight is fast approaching, I\u2019m going to be a total idiot and let you come stay with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpike is not staying with you,\u201d Angel said, putting his hands on Cordelia\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are not staying with Cordelia,\u201d Buffy said, grabbing Spike by the collar.<\/p>\n

Cordy ignored the large vampire in front of her and quirked her eyebrow at Spike. \u201cWell, it\u2019s up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spike detangled Buffy\u2019s fingers from his shirt and nodded. He didn\u2019t know why the chit was being so\u2026nice. Not just the fact that she was being nice to him, but the fact that she was being nice at all. He remembered her being somewhat\u2026less nice. \u201cThanks for the hospitality cheerleader.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact that Cordelia had invited Spike for a sleepover and the fact that Spike had accepted seemingly shocked Angel and Buffy into a stupor. They stood there silently as Cordy handed Connor to Angel and Spike picked her purse off the floor and carried it for her.<\/p>\n

When they reached the door, Spike mumbled \u201cSo, the baby. I gather that\u2019s not a late night snack, is it?\u201d Cordy just shook her head tiredly, saying, \u201cI\u2019ll explain later.\u201d And then they were gone.<\/p>\n

Angel and Buffy continued to silently stare at the door for several minutes. Finally Angel said, \u201cHe better not hurt her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buffy sighed and walked toward the stairs. \u201cHe won\u2019t hurt her. He can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBuffy, if he does hurt her, I will have to kill him. You know that, right?\u201d Buffy simply nodded and walked upstairs.<\/p>\n

Part 7<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Part 6: Amateur Detective Skulking around cemeteries for the better part of six years should mean that you don\u2019t get spooked easily. But…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-completed-fics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3972"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3972\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}