***<\/p>\n
Two days later, Cordelia figured she\u2019d simply read too much into Angel\u2019s statement. He might have wanted to talk about the weather or the latest Lakers win.<\/p>\n
Okay, so the vampire wasn\u2019t much for making small talk and as far as Cordelia knew he had no interest in basketball. Today, she was feeling much more like herself again and had no intention of out-brooding Angel.<\/p>\n
Though she did have to admit to herself that sneaking up for Connor cuddles while the vampire was still asleep was not as much fun as it usually was considering that the bed looked crumpled, but otherwise empty.<\/p>\n
Normally it was visibly filled by a certain gorgeous half-naked vampire. Not that she stared or anything. Eye-candy was just too good to waste.<\/p>\n
Even the baby was being uncooperative by sleeping soundly in his crib. Cordelia was half way to sneaking out of the bedroom when she was stopped in her tracks by the sleep-weighted sound asking her, \u201cDon\u2019t go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cConnor\u2019s asleep,\u201d she whispered while turning around to face the bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I can hold a conversation better than my son can.\u201d Angel tossed back the sheet and swung his legs over the side of the bed leaving a visible indentation that she tracked with her eyes.<\/p>\n
Hands on her hips, Cordelia grinned teasingly, \u201cThere are days that\u2019s debatable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Predictably, Angel had no immediate reply which left her laughing softly. She walked back toward him, stopping a couple of feet from where he sat. \u201cToday\u2019s the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel sounded confused, \u201cWhat day? Did Wes discover something?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNope,\u201d Cordelia told him having made this decision completely on her own and figuring it would be good for him. \u201cYou\u2019ve been all about work, work, work ever since we got back home from Sunnydale. Except for taking Connor and me out for that stroll in the sunshine yesterday afternoon, you\u2019ve done nothing fun since you were turned invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFun?\u201d Angel sounded doubtful. He shifted on the bed, standing and brushing past her.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, so maybe you\u2019re not exactly the Fun Guru,\u201d Cordelia admitted as she watched his clothes float out of the closet. Apparently Angel was too much of a gentleman to stand in front of her in his boxers.<\/p>\n
Assuming you\u2019re wearing any.<\/i> A flash of heat bloomed in her chest spreading in all directions at that unbidden thought which rolled right into another.Of course you\u2019re wearing boxers. You always wear boxers to bed. Even I know that.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not like you\u2019d run around the hotel naked,\u201d words followed thought.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Angel agreed having never considered it. \u201cWas that the fun you had in mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
The question came out of nowhere, startling Cordelia who had been focused on the initially amusing sight of Invisible Vamp getting dressed that she never realized she\u2019d spoken. Her hazel gaze had been locked onto the way those dark Armani pants were taking shape causing a momentary loss of brain function.<\/p>\n
What did she have in mind? There had been a list, a whole list of creative things to let Angel take advantage of his invisibility and resistance to sunlight while he had the chance. Drawing a blank, she shrugged, \u201cLots of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the space of a blink, the black pants disappeared from view and Cordelia let out a short sigh of relief. Funny what your mind focused on when there was only one thing to look at.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike what?\u201d Angel sounded curious enough, but she couldn\u2019t quite place his tone, the deep timbre sounding almost suggestive. \u201cWhat would you do if you were me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia snorted daringly, \u201cThings you\u2019d never have the guts to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThink so?\u201d Angel swung his shirt on, but Cordelia never saw him button it up as he crossed the room toward her. It too faded from view leaving her only with his words.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnow so.\u201d Who was picking on whom here, Cordelia wondered suddenly. It felt like she was the one on the defensive instead of taking charge of this little funscapade. Hah. She\u2019d see about that.<\/p>\n
Before Cordelia could open her mouth again, she heard close to her ear, \u201cBack to what I should do. Tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n
A little flustered at his closeness, Cordelia whirled around and took a step back to give herself a little more space. Her calves bumped up against the corner of the bed. Coming up with something she figured he\u2019d never go along with, Cordelia blurted, \u201cSkinny-dipping.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel was back in her personal space again a second later when he asked for a little clarification, \u201cAlone? That\u2019s too much like bathing. No witnesses. You\u2019d have to tag along.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pfft! Did she have to point out the obvious? \u201cBut I\u2019m<\/i> not invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight.\u201d The single word accompanied a low rumble that Cordelia couldn\u2019t identify, but knew had to come from him. It ran right through her leaving her skin tingling in its wake. Suddenly, all she could think of was Angel slathering suntan lotion over every inch of her or doing the same to him.<\/p>\n
That is so wrong, Chase. You don\u2019t think things like that during the daytime. At all. I meant: at all. <\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cScratch that idea,\u201d Cordelia grumbled, moving forward with her palm outstretched. It gave her unintentional confirmation that his shirt was still undone as the warmth of her hand pressed up against the cool flesh beneath it.<\/p>\n
The sensation gave her a sudden reminder of the season and a reasonable excuse. \u201cIt\u2019s winter and even if I was invisible, hello, goosebumps.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo no skinny dipping,\u201d Angel chuckled at the quick change of plans. He captured the hand pressing against his chest, pulling it down to her side refusing to step back to give her more breathing room. \u201cAny other grand ideas?\u201d<\/p>\n
One by one Angel turned down the outrageous ideas that Cordelia came up with to ensure he had some fun with his invisibility. Finally, she huffed, frustrated, \u201cI give up. You\u2019re hopeless.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen maybe I need a little rescuing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared up, focusing on his voice, and suddenly suspicious. Finally, she asked half-jokingly, \u201cAre you flirting<\/i> with me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously not very well,\u201d the soft sound of irony filled the air between them.<\/p>\n
Stunned at the realization that Angel was actually throwing her a line, Cordelia felt her head spinning. \u201cBack in Sunnydale did you\u2026I think you kissed me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hand holding hers shifted, his thumb caressing her wrist in a slow circle. Her eyes darted down to look at the spot only to shoot up again when the fingers of his free hand tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. \u201cI must be out of practice if you don\u2019t remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was joking about it? Now was not the time for him to find his sense of humor. \u201cIt was a thank you, right, just gratitude?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh.\u201d Cordelia couldn\u2019t hide the disappointment that filled that one short syllable.<\/p>\n
A weighty pause followed before Angel asked her, \u201cIt surprised you?\u201d<\/p>\n
What was she supposed to say to that? No, I normally let my chin hit the ground that way? I was just exercising my jaw by letting it hang open?<\/i> \u201cA little. I wasn\u2019t expecting it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I guess there is an advantage to being invisible,\u201d Angel dared a soft chuckle. \u201cThat surprise factor might be worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trying to follow along, Cordelia rolled her eyes. \u201cWhy, are you planning to work your way through L.A.\u2019s female population by playing the Invisible Kissing Bandit instead of the Dark Avenger? Steals kisses by day, saves damsels by night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that\u2019s definitely an idea.\u201d Lifting her hand, Angel pressed a soft kiss along the curves of her knuckles.<\/p>\n
Cordelia laughed, \u201cTrust you to think that<\/i> would be fun. Stick with your night job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her amused smirk faltered beneath the sudden pressure of his mouth on hers. Cool lips caressed hers one by one after stealing the gasp caught between them. Only a moment longer, mouth bowed in surprise beneath him and wanting more. Following only to taste the empty air, Cordelia\u2019s eyes snapped open.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, what was that?\u201d There was no doubting that kiss and it certainly wasn\u2019t on her forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cPractice? Wouldn\u2019t want to let down all of those damsels,\u201d he told her hurriedly. It was followed by grumbled apology.<\/p>\n
Suddenly unsure whether it was the apology or the thought of Angel kissing anyone else that made her angry, Cordelia shoved her hands back on her hips. One little kiss and he had her head swimming, her body tingling and he was just warming up for a little damsel smooching. Worse, it was her idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cForget the Kissing Bandit routine.\u201d Cordelia told him it was a lousy plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds a lot better than sneaking into…whose bedroom was that, again?\u201d Angel brought up one of her other not-so-brilliant suggestions. \u201cJude Lawyer\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
As if she hadn\u2019t mentioned the name often enough for Angel to remember, Cordelia reminded him again, \u201cLaw. Jude Law. That was what I\u2019d do if I<\/i> was invisible, not you. With you it would be some silly starlet, i.e. Rebecca Lowell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSilly seer is more like it,\u201d Angel corrected as his fingers skimmed the curve of her face, \u201ci.e. Cordelia Chase.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d she said his name as if invoking it would break the spell of invisibility and let her look into his eyes. Sincerity came with his touch and his words causing Cordelia to conclude that she had been right the first time.<\/p>\n
Almost whimsically, she smiled at him, \u201cYou really are flirting with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
That confident predatory purr suddenly vanished as Angel nervously asked Cordelia, \u201cDoes\u2026is\u2026are you okay with that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than okay,\u201d Cordelia admitted, now seemingly unable to stop smiling at the thought alone. \u201cI suppose it depends.\u201d<\/p>\n
All too seriously, Angel queried, \u201cOn what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat were you planning to do in my bedroom once you snuck in there, play with my lingerie?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly if you\u2019re in it,\u201d he said against her lips.<\/p>\n
Though he pulled Cordelia close into his embrace, Angel\u2019s masterful kiss never got started. Before he could claim her mouth, Cordelia ducked her head as a wave of soft chuckles overcame her. Finally, she lifted her head up, eyes sparkling as she wound her arms around Angel\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n
Still giggling, \u201cYou\u2019re pretty corny for a vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I am,\u201d Angel released a short groan. \u201cWait! Did you said corny<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia curled her fingers along his nape toying with the short strands of his hair. Hope filled her soft query, \u201cWanna prove me wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
He needed no second invitation. With her name on his lips, Angel kissed her, gingerly at first for daring to act upon desires that welled so deep. The barest touch trailed an internal fire as Cordelia leaned in for more, his fingers gently grazing the curve of her hip, the swell of her breast, and the line of her throat to tangle in her hair.<\/p>\n
From the first touch of his mouth, Cordelia\u2019s eyelids had fluttered closed. Mapping out his broad shoulders, the firm muscles of his torso, the line of his back, she greedily explored with her hands what she could no longer see, spreading warmth across his skin. Each touch, each kiss, closer to him. Instantly addicted: to him, to his kiss, to his touch, wanting more.<\/p>\n
Tiptoe kisses, arms wound around him, held tight against his frame. Fiery response the only answer to Angel\u2019s ardent caress, his mouth was firm and then gentle yet demanding and then giving. Shifting, their limbs tangling, no longer standing, but surrounded by the soft shifting of cotton beneath them brought only momentary distraction.<\/p>\n
Until the cool brush of air against her heated mouth brought Cordelia\u2019s world back into sudden focus. She lay supine against the firm mattress, Angel above her, the heady weight of his aroused body half pressed against her. She wiggled and tried to pull him back down.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy,\u201d his cheek brushed close to hers, want thickening his words, \u201cI need you so much, but we have to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why? No, no, no.<\/i> Cordelia couldn\u2019t think of a reason. She didn\u2019t want to stop. If anything, that should be her line and she wasn\u2019t gonna say it, assuring him, \u201cNo we don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gently separating them, Angel rolled so they lay side by side facing each other. Cordelia\u2019s hand curled into the material of his open shirt, holding on. He said, \u201cIt\u2019s not fair to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPfft! Says who?\u201d Cordelia whined in frustration, her lips swollen from their kisses.<\/p>\n
Angel cupped her hip, bringing them close again, letting out a moan as their bodies connected. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t start something I might not be able to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thinking fast, Cordelia pointed out, \u201cSuper-glued soul, remember. Lorne said so.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor now, but what if it\u2019s temporary? I\u2019m talking about more than just this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
He obviously thought they were rushing into things. Cordelia never suspected that Angel wanted her this way. They\u2019d gone from flirtation to foreplay in one fast swoop. Taking advantage of this now might be their only chance, she knew, and not only because Angel\u2019s soul might be safe temporarily. \u201cI know the risks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Worriedly, he commented, \u201cI hope you know I\u2019m not trying to take advantage of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s hand found its way up to his face. \u201cMaybe I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
Capturing her hand, Angel pressed a kiss into the center of her palm. \u201cBe sure about this, Cordy. We only get one first time and I\u2019m still invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBet you\u2019ve never done it that way before,\u201d her eyebrows arched high as she teased him. Then seriously, \u201cThis could be our only opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unexpectedly, Angel chuckled in response. \u201cWhy is that funny?\u201d Cordelia demanded with a slight pout.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it turns out that my soul goes back to the status quo, it doesn\u2019t mean that I can\u2019t touch you,\u201d he promised suggestively. \u201cI guess you haven\u2019t met my creative side.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as it doesn\u2019t call itself Angelus and consider me a Happy Meal, I\u2019m all for the intro.\u201d Then Cordelia nudged his shoulder until he rolled onto his back allowing her to follow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere could be nibbling involved.\u201d Pulling her more fully on top of him, he pressed his mouth to her neck and let his hands wander down her frame.<\/p>\n
Squealing in response to the caresses that moved purposely across her skin, Cordelia cried out, \u201cNot there, not there!\u201d Giggling, \u201cThat tickles!\u201d Squirming against him, she laughed, \u201cNo fair! I can\u2019t see you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just when she was nearly out of breath, Angel rolled her beneath him again, claiming her mouth and picking up where their last kiss left off. Swamped by feelings he had buried and only recently discovered, he recognized their power. Lust pulled sharply tied to instincts he could not ignore. The urge to possess her, claim her as his own, tugged against emotions that he never knew in his soulless days and that he never truly understood until now.<\/p>\n
When he lifted his mouth a hairsbreadth away from hers, Cordelia let out a gasp, thinking he was planning to go through with his plan to stop. Instead, Angel\u2019s words made it clear that for him this was only the beginning, \u201cI love you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Going still in his arms, holding her breath and desperately wanting to look into his eyes, Cordelia confessed softly, \u201cI love you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Knock, knock, knock\u2026.<\/i> The jarring sound was followed by Lorne\u2019s voice calling out to them from the other side of the bedroom door. \u201cYoo hoo in there. Angelcakes. Princess.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s head hit the mattress, \u201cLoooorne, please, not now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome back in a week,\u201d muttered Angel even as he moved off of the bed and helped Cordelia to her feet. This interruption was more than just bad timing.<\/p>\n
Upon opening the door, they saw Lorne\u2019s mouth stretched into a guilty smile, \u201cSorry to interrupt, sweet things, really sorry considering the scorching hot vibes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Angel\u2019s unintentional growl suggested he get on with whatever news brought him upstairs.<\/p>\n
Cordelia tucked her hair behind her ears, trying to make it appear like Angel hadn\u2019t been running his hands through it. She fixed Lorne with a grumpy frown, \u201cThe hotel better be on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly in here, Princess,\u201d Lorne chuckled only to drop the smile after a quick look over his shoulder. \u201cThe rest of the place is icy cold. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel understood immediately, \u201cThe Kalderash.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia realized that Angel must sense them, hearing their voices, their movements down in the lobby. \u201cOne more reason not to like that bunch: their timing sucks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re here and putting off the scary intense vibes,\u201d Lorne told them. \u201cMadame B and her cronies have come with a purpose, and whatever it is, they\u2019re determined to see it through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel sounded the same as he responded, \u201cWe\u2019ll be down in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust one word of fashion advice,\u201d Lorne paused on his way out.<\/p>\n
Pfft! Cordelia pointed out that it hardly mattered, \u201cHe\u2019s invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advice is for you,\u201d Lorne explained with a wave of his fingers in her direction. \u201cYou might want to try re-buttoning that blouse before heading downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a perplexing situation,\u201d Madame Bosha told Angel as she sought him out. \u201cI find this invisibility distracting.\u201d<\/p>\n
The gypsy woman sat upon the couch in the central part of the lobby flanked by six men and women only slightly younger than she. Standing silently, their faces were drawn into masks of resolve. Madame Bosha had introduced them as elders of the clan of the Kalderash Romany; she was their speaker.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not the only one,\u201d Cordelia cut through the silence that followed the gypsy\u2019s observation only to find that the woman\u2019s dark eyes now focused upon her. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSit next to me,\u201d Madame Bosha patted the cushion next to her. \u201cWe will talk while the vampire brings his son.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel had no intention of letting her anywhere near Connor. \u201cHe\u2019s asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh?\u201d No sooner had she spoken than the baby\u2019s wail sounded over the electronic monitor perched on the countertop. \u201cI intend no harm, Cursed One. The child is the reason we are here.\u201d<\/p>\n
That announcement caused a commotion as the Angel Investigations team suddenly burst into questions, none of which the gypsy answered. Holding up her hands, she signaled for silence. \u201cAll will be revealed. Impatience and impertinence will not be tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither will veiled threats,\u201d returned Angel bristling at the delay and her demands.<\/p>\n
As Cordelia\u2019s hand slid along his arm, her fingers curling through his, Angel felt her silent support. The Kalderash carried no weapons, not even a sharpened stake or a bottle of holy water. Despite their unarmed state, Angel wasn\u2019t about to leave them for the length of time it took to go upstairs to attend to his son.<\/p>\n
\u201cFred,\u201d he called out without moving his gaze from the frail woman whose eyes held the knowledge of ages, \u201cbring Connor downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doubt sounded as she agreed with the request. \u201cOkay, Angel, if you\u2019re sure you want me too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay, Fred,\u201d he assured her, hoping such confidence was merited.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour minions are loyal,\u201d the gypsy woman arched a dark grey brow.<\/p>\n
Angel knew she was trying to push his buttons. \u201cThey\u2019re my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo they told me when they came to my ofisa<\/i>.\u201d Then her gaze shifted from his general direction back to Cordelia. Once again, she patted the couch cushion beside her. \u201cDo not think I have forgotten you so quickly. Come, I wish to meet the woman who is the vampire\u2019s lover.\u201d<\/p>\n
Surprised choking and gasping came from Wes and Gunn as they stood behind them. Cordelia glanced down at her blouse, just to check that she\u2019s fixed it. \u201cWhoa, lady, I think you\u2019re making a lot of assumptions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Madame Bosha gave her a hard stare, correcting herself, \u201cHis beloved, then. Come child, do not keep me waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Cordelia started to move forward, Angel held her back long enough to ask the gypsy, \u201cThis should be between us. What do Connor and Cordelia have to do with it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps everything, perhaps nothing,\u201d came the cryptic response. \u201cWe shall see.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not afraid,\u201d Cordelia said. Not for her own sake. \u201cCreeped out a little, maybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFeisty and brave,\u201d nodded the gypsy. Then with a frown, she added, \u201cPerhaps too brave for your own good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia sank onto the couch next to Madame Bosha who immediately grasped her hand in a surprisingly strong grip and turned it palm upward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are caught in an abyss of beginnings and endings,\u201d the frown deepened. \u201cAlone you may falter. Your natal day shall bring you to the brink. Choices offered lead you to false paths. Choose neither, daughter. Let hope and trust show you the road you must take.\u201d<\/p>\n
Snatching her hand away, Cordelia rubbed at her palm as if it had been burned. She had no idea what Madame Bozo was talking about. Jerking to her feet, Cordelia took a step closer to Angel, but it was Lorne\u2019s eyes that captured her startled gaze. His own appeared dark, his normally jovial expression clouded.<\/p>\n
Between the fortune teller and the empathy demon, Cordelia realized that her secret was no longer her own. Though she doubted Lorne could tell the nature of her health problems, he had to sense something. Wes appeared to be mentally dissecting the gypsy\u2019s words, looking for answers, while Gunn simply looked worried.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had enough prophesies around this place,\u201d Cordelia told her, trying not to look in Angel\u2019s direction at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cHeed my words. For it is truth I speak,\u201d Madame Bosha assured her before moving her frank gaze toward Wesley. \u201cHave you done so? Found the truth within the lie?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel had no idea what the woman was talking about and asked Wesley for details. His response remained just as enigmatic as the gypsy\u2019s message to Cordelia. \u201cShe spoke of a false prophesy that would lead to a time of darkness. I haven\u2019t discovered it yet. My research on the Eye of Dakronn has been consuming most of my time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, there is the child,\u201d Madame Bosha watched Fred descend the steps with Connor in her arms. \u201cExcellent. Now the judgment may truly commence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The gentle pressure of invisible fingers along Cordelia\u2019s back hinted at Angel\u2019s wishes even as he kept his focus on the gypsies gathered in his lobby. Walking over to meet Fred at the bottom of the steps, Cordelia held out her arms for the baby. Rejoining the group, she instinctively made her way back to Angel\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
\u201cBring the child to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot a chance,\u201d Angel responded instantly. \u201cNot until you explain what\u2019s going on here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVery well, vampire,\u201d Madame Bosha agreed to the terms. \u201cI am prepared to answer your questions. Be certain that you are ready for mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel sucked in a single breath of air into his lungs and held it there until it hurt, a silent count going off in his head centering him and demanding patience. \u201cA century ago, your people cursed me to bear the weight of my crimes by giving me a soul. I have existed with it for nearly all of that time, though I lost it once until it was given back to me. My friends have a theory that the soul is now permanent.\u201d<\/p>\n
With her gnarled hands folded on her lap, Madame Bosha sat silent for long seconds before speaking. \u201cYour crimes against my people will never be forgotten, Angelus. It is the Kalderash way to possess a long memory where such things are concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe name\u2019s Angel<\/i> now,\u201d Cordelia stressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat difference is there in a name? Is he not the same being?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia held Connor in one arm as she pointed out, \u201cI\u2019m not saying you should just forgive and forget, but that was one girl and it was over a hundred years ago. Angel has suffered enough. Trust me when I tell you he is the King of Brood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWas Enyos\u2019 demise so long ago? I think not, Miss Chase. His death preceded that of his niece Janna by mere days,\u201d Madame Bosha\u2019s reminder left Cordelia floundering.<\/p>\n
She\u2019d forgotten for a moment of that recent link to this gypsy clan. \u201cIt was I who sent Jenny Calendar to Sunnydale. I who allowed Enyos to follow. For the first time in a century of souled existence, there was a chance that Angelus would find his way to freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a dangerous loophole,\u201d Angel commented, drowning out the ghostly echo of Jenny\u2019s neck snapping under his grip.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d Wesley wholeheartedly agreed. \u201cPrecisely why would you create such a clause in the first place? Bliss might be a rarity, but considering the rather libidinous nature of vampires\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel cleared his throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd historically speaking, Angelus could certainly be counted in that category,\u201d Wes continued despite the attempted interruption, \u201cthe chances of closing that loop are statistically significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn leaned in close, muttering, \u201cWay to go. You\u2019ve just convinced Madame B over there that Angel\u2019s a horny vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly not,\u201d Wes tugged at his tie. \u201cI was simply pointing out the inconsistency with the formulation of the curse, not acting as a character witness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Madame Bosha picked up her cane from its resting place beside her and tapped it on the floor. \u201cThere was no happiness clause, no loophole created. Love is the only true cure for any curse tied to the soul, to the emotions. Thus, the curse was broken.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that part,\u201d Angel felt a little uncomfortable talking about this when the woman he now loved stood at his side. He kept his hand on the small of her back, telling her he was there and hoping she could interpret that touch. \u201cIs the soul permanent?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid the Eye of Dakronn not reveal this to you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid it?\u201d Angel asked the others for confirmation. \u201cLorne thinks so.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe demon possesses the gift to see what others cannot,\u201d nodded Madame Bosha. \u201cTo read a mind, a heart, a soul is far different than understanding whether that soul may be here today or gone tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorne completely agreed with that statement. \u201cI saw the difference after you became invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly after you were exposed to the mystic wavelengths emitted by the invisibility ray,\u201d Fred stressed the timeframe. \u201cSince the Eye of Dakronn is the power source of the ray gun, technically it did exactly what Madame Bosha said it would: reveal that which is hidden, your soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s kinda cool,\u201d Gunn admitted. \u201cDid I tell you I really hate this mystic mumbo jumbo?\u201d<\/p>\n
Madame Bosha answered with a sardonic twist of her wrinkled lips, \u201cI believe that you have mentioned it before, Gadje<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u2026,\u201d Cordelia started off, but faltered as the gypsy\u2019s words finally sunk in. \u201cYou\u2019re saying that Lorne is right? That Angel\u2019s soul is permanent?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe Kalderash cursed him, observed him, but we have nothing to do with securing the vampire\u2019s soul,\u201d admitted the old woman.<\/p>\n
Wesley had to ask about the invisibility reversal process and his concerns about the Eye of Dakronn actually removing the soul. His theory garnered hearty laughter from all of the Kalderash present.<\/p>\n
Finally, Madame Bosha explained, \u201cThe Eye is a bauble, an ancient toy imbued with Romany majicks. It can hide or reveal the truth. That which we see, that which is unseen, that which we know, that which is unknown. It certainly has no power to secure or remove a soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
All around him, Angel heard the excited responses of his friends. Cordelia held up Connor to eye level, her smile beaming as she said, \u201cDid you hear that, sweetie pie? Daddy can be visible again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel wondered if he was the only one thinking that the gypsies hadn\u2019t come here to tell him his soul was secure, to wish him well or to make him visible again. They had come with a purpose that was yet to be fully revealed. Still, he had to ask, \u201cWould you mind if I spent the rest of this little inquisition in visible form?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at all. While you are taking care of that, perhaps now would be a good time for me to meet your son,\u201d Madame Bosha suggested.<\/p>\n
Angel hesitated then changed his mind, \u201cIt can wait. You\u2019re a stranger, Madame Bosha. You\u2019re here at your own invitation and you haven\u2019t explained why you\u2019ve come.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFair enough. You are a unique creature, Angelus\u2026Angel,\u201d she corrected at Cordelia\u2019s harrumph. \u201cIn a sense, we the Kalderash are your creators. Until recently, there was little else to show for our efforts except that which we intended: your suffering. You remained separated from your kind and though you lived amongst humans for part of that time, you remained a loner.\u201d<\/p>\n
She asked pointedly, \u201cWhat changed that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was contacted,\u201d Angel began and told her about his meeting with Whistler.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you began your service to the Powers that Be without truly understanding their plan for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frankly, he still didn\u2019t understand all of the plan. \u201cI came to L.A. after that. The PTB sent me a seer, Doyle, to receive the visions that lead me on my missions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Madame Bosha pulled out a small white calling card from her skirt pocket. \u201cAngel Investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe help the hopeless,\u201d chimed in Cordelia with a charming smile. At least one she hoped was charming. \u201cAngel\u2019s a hero, a champion, one of the good guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d nodded the gypsy with a wry look toward Fred, her black eyes glittering. \u201cI believe I was given that information, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia added, \u201cWell a good defense is\u2026 a good defense. All\u2019s fair in love and war and curses so why don\u2019t you folks call it a day. There is no need to throw any hasty judgments around here.\u201d<\/p>\n
A hint of a smile appeared on the old woman\u2019s face, her thin lips curling slightly at the corners. \u201cYou are Angel\u2019s seer now, his link to the Powers. You are his beloved, the link to his heart, but you are not the reason his soul is secure. That is actually\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2026you\u2019re saying th\u2014,\u201d Cordelia couldn\u2019t even bring herself to consider that the old gypsy might suggest that Buffy, or worse, even Darla might be his soulmate.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s wrong,\u201d Angel assured her, placing both hands on Cordelia\u2019s shoulders and glaring ineffectively at the gypsy. Glaring techniques were useless when invisible.<\/p>\n
The cane tapped on the floor again, a grumpy demand following, \u201cQuiet. No more interruptions. Tell me vampire, when do you believe it happened? Was it the night your son was conceived?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel hesitated because he knew Cordelia would immediately think about Darla and that was never a good thing. His sire was a forbidden topic, not that he wanted to talk about everything that had happened. Still, he had no choice, but to admit the truth. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He felt Cordelia\u2019s shoulders stiffen beneath his hands, but she said nothing. Madame Bosha, on the other hand, was not so quiet. \u201cYour colleague spoke of the prophetic birth of your son. A miracle in anyone\u2019s eyes, a human conceived by two vampires.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t tell you that,\u201d Wes hadn\u2019t mentioned Darla at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are not the only one who can do research,\u201d the gypsy shrugged. \u201cI have a few contacts who have contacts. You are fond of theories, Mr. Wyndam-Pryce, and I have one that I will share with you all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia muttered, \u201cWhy stop now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Powers are responsible for the child\u2019s conception,\u201d to which Cordelia let out a soft snort. \u201cTherefore it is they who are also responsible for securing the vampire\u2019s soul. If it was not necessary for the conception itself, then it certainly must be for the child\u2019s development.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added, \u201cIt is not the way of the Kalderash to deny a human child the love and happiness of his father. So too must it be with the Powers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel cupped Connor\u2019s head, his thumb smoothing over the downy hair. He wished that it could be so simple, but he had to point out, \u201cThe prophesies aren\u2019t exactly pleasant. There isn\u2019t much room in them for happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then Wes cut in with a reminder of Madame Bosha\u2019s reading, quoting her, \u201c\u2018False prophesies surround him.\u2019 Angel, there is no way to tell if that is true. The prophesy itself could be tainted. I can\u2019t be certain. Perhaps I should continue interpretation of the scroll.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVampire, I require your cooperation if the child is to pass the judgment of the clan,\u201d
\nMadame Bosha explained.<\/p>\n
Discovering that it was Connor rather than Angel who was to be judged by whatever measure the Kalderash intended resulted in another round of loud complaints.<\/p>\n
Finally, the old gypsy\u2019s quiet voice silenced them all. \u201cVengeance is an old Romany tradition. It is a way of life, a belief that the only way to settle a debt is to take and eye for an eye, a life for a life, a soul for a soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you gave a soul to Angel,\u201d Gunn pointed out the flaw in her logic.<\/p>\n
\u201cBah! It served its purpose,\u201d she waved off the interruption. \u201cThe birth of the child is a sign that the debt owed to us may now be repaid. A Gadje he may be, but to the Rom, he shall be known as a son of the Kalderash.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell does that mean?\u201d demanded Angel forgetting to bother with feigned politeness. \u201cMy son isn\u2019t going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holding up her hand, Madame Bosha signaled for peace. \u201cThat is not our intent. My people have few written histories. Most are passed down through the generations in stories and legends. Each child of the clan learns of our past through these tales. It is our decision that your son will hear them. He will know the history of the people you destroyed in your soulless state.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel suddenly realized that the Kalderash had no power here. His soul was secure. His invisibility was just a reversal away from being a bad memory. Nothing obligated him to letting this gypsy clan have access to his son; nothing except his own guilt and a sense that he owed them something.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no objections to my son learning the Kalderash history,\u201d Angel told her, \u201cas long as it\u2019s under my supervision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Madame Bosha eventually got her hands on Connor, after which the tough old gypsy transformed her countenance into that of a cuddly grandma. Her clansmen relaxed once she announced the boy to be a strong specimen.<\/p>\n
After another hour of talking out the details of this future endeavor, the Kalderash left them on their own.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cNana Bosha,\u201d Cordelia rolled her eyes and let out a loud \u2018pfft\u2019 as she sounded out what the old gypsy wanted them to call her. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t she say so in the letter? Applying for a role as a foster grandma is a lot less threatening than telling someone to prepare for judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCryptic imagery is very big with the Romany clans,\u201d Wes commented. \u201cAs a matter of fact\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel cut in, \u201cI hate to interrupt\u2026actually, I don\u2019t mind at all. Now seems like a good time to get the Invisibility Ray and fix my little problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlready got it,\u201d Fred held up the device.<\/p>\n
She was about to point it in Angel\u2019s direction when Gunn stopped her. \u201cCan I do it? I mean, how often can a guy say he\u2019s blasted his ex-boss with a real ray gun?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust point and shoot,\u201d Angel told him. \u201cKeep the commentary to yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorne offered to take Connor out of the room. \u201cJust in case,\u201d he added on his way into Wesley\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d asked Angel just as Gunn pulled the trigger. A bright beam shot out hitting its target dead center.<\/p>\n
Angel shut his eyes and waited for the pain that had come with the initial blast. The only thing he felt was the lush womanly form of Cordelia crashing into him a moment later as she threw herself against him, her joyous laughter ringing in his ears.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy?\u201d his arms automatically wound around her waist.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s my favorite hunk of salty goodness,\u201d she murmured, hugging him tight. \u201cI missed your face.\u201d
\nRelief that everything seemed to have worked came out with a sigh, \u201cSo you can see me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMmm hmm,\u201d she grinned. \u201cI\u2019m thinking we should celebrate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The triumphant faces of his friends suggested they had the same idea. Thought he felt certain Cordelia had something more private in mind. \u201cI\u2019m thinking we were interrupted earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia grinned, \u201cI\u2019m thinking you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGuess we\u2019re on the same wavelength again,\u201d Angel joked, earning him a patented eye-roll. His fingers skimmed the outline of her face, tilting her chin as his mouth descended onto hers.<\/p>\n
Unstoppable laughter burst forth as Cordelia cheerfully said, \u201cDork.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel growled back, \u201cI can see that I\u2019ll have to cure you of laughing every time I try to kiss you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Behind them, Fred was grinning at the sight while Gunn pointed the Invisibility Ray in their direction. He asked Wes, \u201cCan I zap, \u2018em? I got a feeling we\u2019re gonna regret those two getting together. We can\u2019t see it if they\u2019re invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHmmm,\u201d Wesley appeared to consider it, adjusting his glasses a bit at the sight of Cordelia kissing Angel with enthusiasm. \u201cYou may be right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whirling on them, Fred glared at the two men. \u201cCharles, you put the gun down and back away slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn played along and Fred immediately picked up the device.<\/p>\n
She smirked at both of them. \u201cI\u2019ve got an Invisibility Ray. That is so cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
End.<\/b><\/p>\n