{"id":5792,"date":"2015-07-17T21:09:57","date_gmt":"2015-07-17T20:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=5792"},"modified":"2015-07-17T21:52:34","modified_gmt":"2015-07-17T20:52:34","slug":"hand-in-hand-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2015\/07\/17\/hand-in-hand-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Hand in Hand. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Title: Hand in Hand<\/b>
\nAuthor: <\/b>Nickle<\/strong>
\nPosted: <\/b>07-02-2008
\nRating: <\/b>Overall, R
\nEmail<\/a><\/b>
\nCategory: <\/b>Angsty, humorous, adventuresome froth.
\nContent: <\/b>C\/A
\nSummary: <\/b>Giles discovers a prophecy (shocker!) that involves Cordy and Angel.
\nSpoilers: <\/b>A sequel to, consecutively, In the Dark<\/em> and Fine Tuning<\/em>, both available at Just Fic & GTC\/A. Highly recommend that you read those first. In the Dark began during Epiphany and took off on its own from there. So this could be called part of the In the Darkverse.
\nDisclaimer: <\/b>The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
\nDistribution: <\/b>Just ask.
\nNotes: <\/b>Dudes, it\u2019s been like 4 years. Be gentle.
\nThanks\/Dedication:<\/b>
\nFeedback:<\/b> Would be appreciated. As would currency in twenties and fifties.<\/p>\n

\n

Chapter 1<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cOne-horned demon of Candascean descent\u2026\u201d Cordelia read the notation before looking at the accompanying sketch. \u201cI don\u2019t see a horn, maybe this is the wrong\u2026.\u201d She squinted, looking closer. \u201cOh. I didn\u2019t think THAT was the horn. Heh.\u201d<\/p>\n

She set the book aside and made a few notes on her laptop, absently chewing on her bottom lip as she pecked away at the keys. The database was coming along nicely; Wesley would be pleased. Of course, Wesley was pleased at the Star Trek Next Generation Marathon, Elton John, and Earl Grey tea, so what made Wesley tick was an endless source of amusement to Cordy.<\/p>\n

The lobby of the Hyperion was quiet tonight. The guys were out responding to one of Cordy\u2019s visions; demons in the south side, yada yada, people in danger, yada yada, appetite for toes\u2026\u2026now that was a new one.<\/p>\n

Cordy had slipped on a pair of converse all stars and tied \u2018em tight before lying down for a bit to recover from the pain inducing sitcom in her head. Didn\u2019t hurt to be safe. And her toenails were freshly painted and nice looking, so she was playing it wise.<\/p>\n

A handful of ibuprofen later, she was feeling better and had gotten up to work on Wesley\u2019s current project, cataloguing demons into an instantly accessible database that they could carry around with them.<\/p>\n

Fred was upstairs, probably asleep from the exhaustion that comes from lifting numerous tacos to one\u2019s mouth, over and over again.<\/p>\n

The quiet was\u2026..quiet. Nice. Cordy had moved to the Hyperion almost a week ago; lock, stock, and shoe collection. Moved in with Angel, to be precise. Moved into the suite that was now in a construction mess as she had told Angel that the closet was too small and if she was gonna share a space with a vampire, she needed breathing room.<\/p>\n

And a large dresser.<\/p>\n

Since they were still in the stage where she hadn\u2019t driven him totally nuts yet, he\u2019d set about building a larger closet and making more room. And living with Angel\u2026well that went beyond closet space.<\/p>\n

Her life with Angel was taking her to places she had no map for, new roads and destinations she never thought she\u2019d find. For one thing, he was the only dork bigger than Wesley, and here she was, falling completely for him. He had the whole handsome broody thing going, and an endless wardrobe of black.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d bought him some khaki Dockers and a Nautica Oxford Broadcloth shirt, button down, and he\u2019d so looked like not Angel that she couldn\u2019t stand it. The clothes went back and he was all broody and in black again, and it was fine. She smiled, picturing him in the preppy clothes for a moment.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d looked like he felt stupid and uncomfortable, and she had sighed and given up. But this was better. He was more Angel being\u2026Angel.<\/p>\n

He was dorky and goofy and kind and had a depth of compassion she hadn\u2019t realized before. He was funny and geeky and strong and solid and he made her feel like she was the most beautiful thing he\u2019d ever seen. He liked to touch, even just casually holding her hand while they watched TV, or absently stroking her hair while he read a book.<\/p>\n

It was a new experience for her, to live with someone, but so far it was going ok.<\/p>\n

Not that there weren\u2019t kinks in the system. He didn\u2019t like to go out for fun at all. Watching him drink blood wasn\u2019t too bad, but the occasional dribble down the chin was kinda unnerving. And he took possessiveness to entirely new heights. He slept with his arm tight around her; as if he was scared she\u2019d slip away.<\/p>\n

He had curtailed her outings with the guys on demon recon, and tried to disguise it by telling her that Wesley was expecting a book FedEx that she needed to sign for; by telling her that some appointment was due to show up to hire them; and by telling her of a sudden need for her to sharpen some blades.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d seen through each and every excuse, and was still unsure how to approach him on it. He wanted her safe, she knew that, but she couldn\u2019t be sheltered the way he was trying to. She was part of this, had been from the get go. That was a conversation that needed to be had. She\u2019d do the talking, he\u2019d do the listening, and she\u2019d get her way.<\/p>\n

Cordyland was lovely sometimes, all dreamy and totally unrealistic.<\/p>\n

And the claiming. Christ on a pogo stick. She had never been aware of anyone the way she was of her\u2026.mate? Bloody Harry? Boyfriend with a bite? She didn\u2019t even know how to describe what they were. She\u2019d asked him if it was like being married and he\u2019d gotten that panicky look on his face so she\u2019d glared at him and said, \u201cGod you\u2019re such a guy\u201d before stalking away, feeling a tangible wave of relief from him.<\/p>\n

But she knew. She knew where he was and when he was near. She often felt a pull, a tug from him in her mind. And she knew that this was about as close to forever that she was going to get. That was still a work in progress in her mind. That was the behemoth she was trying to wrap her thoughts around. So if Angel thought that sometimes she was a little snappish, a little cranky\u2026.well he had only himself to blame.<\/p>\n

A prickling sizzled its way along her spine just before the door opened and Larry, Moe, and Curly came stalking in. She grinned at her guys, seeing the \u201cWe men. We hunt. We kill. We want cheesecake\u201d expressions on their faces.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys take care of Dr. Scholl and his toe fetish?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley nodded, tugging the leather harness off that held two crossed scimitars at his back. \u201cReally an odd thing, actually, it fed off of flesh but preferred toes. Not sure if there is kink within the demon world, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWay too much info, Wes, and thanks for the visual.\u201d She laughed and turned to Angel, who was unloading blades from His boots and laying them on a table. \u201cWhat about you, Handsome? Have some fun dealing with the podiatrist demon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it me or are they getting weirder?\u201d Angel pulled out a large claymore from under his leather coat and placed it alongside the smaller blades.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoy howdy, now that\u2019s a question to ponder.\u201d Gunn set two small axes on the table, throwing a bland look to Angel. \u201cIs the demon detective agency finding that the otherworldly and violent community of demons is getting weird? Because up to now, they were so milktoast and normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel conceded the point, nodding before he shrugged out of his coat and tossed it on the back of a chair, then leaning over Cordy\u2019s shoulder to peer at the database. \u201cWhatcha doing, there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordy rolled her eyes. \u201cWell, under the beard of working on this database, I\u2019m being kept from going on any mission that you think is dangerous, harmful, demanding, or requires any movement. That is pretty much what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence fell for a moment before both Gunn and Wesley spoke at the same moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cShazam! Look at the time! Gonna go catch some z\u2019s and be back to happyland tomorrow!\u201d And Gunn was out the door before they could respond.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of which\u2026\u201d Wesley backed away slowly, as if avoiding a crazed animal. \u201cBig day, need\u2026um\u2026.rest. That\u2019s the ticket. I\u2019ll just pop upstairs and\u2026um\u2026.rest.\u201d And he shot up the stairs like he\u2019d been fired from a cannon.<\/p>\n

Cordy looked up at Angel, who was looking slightly scared. \u201cDid you really think I couldn\u2019t figure it out? Not blonde, Angel. Kinda am onto you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel straightened up and walked away a few steps, finally turning to lean back against the counter. \u201cOK, let\u2019s do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordy stared at him for a moment a sigh welling up before she spoke. \u201cHere\u2019s the thing. Just don\u2019t treat me like I\u2019m stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel looked startled. \u201cCordy I don\u2019t think you\u2019re..\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you don\u2019t. I know that completely. You\u2019re protecting me.\u201d She smiled a little. \u201cAnd let\u2019s face it, Angel. You\u2019re protecting the gang. You can\u2019t do your best if you\u2019re worried about me, so I get it. I don\u2019t like it, but I get it. Just\u2026don\u2019t lie to me. I\u2019m not delicate.\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at her steadily. \u201cNo, you\u2019re not. You\u2019re the strongest woman I know. I just\u2026..\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, worry. Because I care. And I want you happy and safe and content. But safe is a huge one for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2026.here\u2019s the deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no deal, Cordelia. This is the way it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo your knuckles ever get scraped up from dragging the floor? That\u2019s gotta hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel smiled a bit at that, that was his Cordy. The best defense was a good offensive snark. \u201cCordy\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was saying. Here\u2019s the deal. I get this, I do. And I\u2019m not the fighter you guys are, I\u2019m not all Lara Croft. But there are times you need me, and there are times I\u2019m gonna go with. Not like I LIKE fighting, Angel. Just\u2026let me be a part of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel\u2019s gaze held hers, steady and warm. \u201cOK. But my word is law on this, Cordy. I say you\u2019re out of it, you are, understood?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hitler, I got it. Jeeze. Like I want to go break nails and get smacked on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in a World War II place? Really? Wanna go upstairs and pretend you\u2019re Poland and I\u2019ll invade you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordy laughed before she could stop herself, she loved this side of him. Standing up, she gave him a considering appraisal. \u201cI hear you got a massive gun, and you know how to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell now, some say I\u2019m a marksman.\u201d And he took her hand and led her to the stairs, her soft giggle a gentle melody to the night.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

Somewhere in a drafty damp castle in England\u2026.<\/p>\n

Desperate times called for strong whiskey. The hand that poured the rich brew from the decanter to the glass trembled slightly. A sip was taken, fire down his throat that pooled to his stomach. There was no mistaking the part of the prophecy that had been revealed.<\/p>\n

He tossed the remainder of the shot back and poured another, breathing deeply. He had things to do. He needed to make arrangements, pack, contact the Organization, and book a flight. He was going to Los Angeles, and he was going to enlist the help of someone he hated.<\/p>\n

Giles was going to visit Angel. And they were going to save the world.<\/p>\n

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

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