Part 18<\/b><\/p>\n
Angel nuzzled further into Cordelia\u2019s neck, taking comfort in the scent and gentle echoing of her heartbeat against his chest. He wanted to remain in her embrace but something kept nagging at him, preventing Cordelia\u2019s soft sounds of life from lulling him back to sleep.<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s eyes opened realizing the frustration. They weren\u2019t curled, intertwined in each other\u2019s bodies in their bed at the Hyperion. With a dread that cut through the contentment, Angel recognized where they were and what needed to be done before he could get that happiness back.<\/p>\n
Angel turned to wake Cordelia but stopped, his eyes drawn to the long windows as his nostrils flared. He moved slowly, not to disturb Cordelia.<\/p>\n
Angel stood in the middle of the room, scenting the air. The room was rich with the combined fragrance of their lovemaking. With reluctance, he blocked out Cordelia\u2019s and concentrated on his own. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he was led to the window.<\/p>\n
Rage overcame the vampire, rage at his stupidity, the danger that had existed and at the gall of his selves, but even in the anger there was a smugness- in the ‘eat your dead hearts out boys’ sort of way. Angel shook head- was he ever not an arrogant bastard.<\/p>\n
Cordelia stretched up at the lost of Angel\u2019s presence. She rubbed her eyes. \u201cWhy are you \u2018grr\u2019? What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGet dressed.\u201d Angel stilled his rage, smugness, and his self-recriminations, concentrating on Cordy\u2019s safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel?\u201d She got out of the bed, wrapping the sheet around her. \u201cIs something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGet dressed, we have to leave NOW.\u201d He grabbed for his pants.<\/p>\n
Cordelia stood firm. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere until you tell me why.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia,\u201d Angel ordered.<\/p>\n
Cordelia scrunched up her face at the demanding tone. It was not the typical request couched in a coaxing manner or frustrated plea, it was a tone that the vampire rarely used with her, one that gave her no room to argue, one that Cordelia took seriously even if it pissed her off.<\/p>\n
Cordelia went to her dresser and started to yank out clothes. \u201cAll I\u2019m asking is for full disclosure, an open line of communication, for you to tell me what the hell has got you so riled up all of sudden.\u201d She shoved her legs into her jeans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were here.\u201d Angel relented once he saw that she was following his directions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was here?\u201d Cordelia poked her head through her shirt, waiting for Angel\u2019s answer. Her eyes widened, as she comprehended his silence. \u201cThey as in them? Both of them? Where? There?\u201d she ran to the window, only to have Angel pull her back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d She blinked up at Angel. Her mouth dropped open at his continuing silence. \u201cThen? When we\u2026. Those voyeuristic perverted bastards. They just stood there and watched?\u201d Her eyes flashing. \u201cWhat kind of \u2026\u2026eww. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel looked up from putting on his shoes trying to decide if she really wanted an answer. He sighed as she tapped her foot with balled fists on her hips waiting for him to say something. How was he to explain that the watching was the only thing he understood?<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s body, her beautiful face writhing in pleasure, giving pleasure to his body, to theirs, hell, he\u2019d have been transfixed by the sight. He growled. He caused that wondrous sight and fuck his past selves. Angel grunted and compromised with his answer. \u201cCordelia, I imagine they came looking for you.\u201d Angel threw his ripped shirt aside.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether?\u201d Cordy\u2019s face was still wrinkled in wordless disgust.<\/p>\n
Angel kept his face passive, confused at that particular concept. Angel wasn\u2019t that different than his soulless counterparts when it came to certain things – the paramount being his aversion to share what was his. With a soul, his possessiveness was tempered by love and the knowledge that Wesley, Gunn, Fred and even Lorne were Cordy\u2018s, as well as his, friends and family and because of that he would willing share her with them to a certain extent.<\/p>\n
But, as Angelus he knew that wouldn\u2018t even be a consideration. He found it difficult to believe that either of the past Angelus\u2018 would stand side by side while watching him make love to Cordelia, no matter how beautiful and enticing she was. Angel would want to kill the man in her bed and so would they. The fact that they hadn’t tried made him uneasy and triggered his instincts to get Cordelia to safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether or separate, who cares. We have to go.\u201d Angel stood.<\/p>\n
Cordelia shook her head. \u201cThey can\u2019t get in, either of them, I never invited\u2026\u201d her eyes shot up to Angel. \u201cI did invite them in didn\u2019t I, they\u2018re you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, now do you see why we have to get out of here?” Angel picked up his shirt again, pulling it on letting the loose sides fall.<\/p>\n
Cordelia studied the vampire and ran out of the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy?\u201d Angel had a momentary fear that she was escaping from him, blaming him for the danger she was in. Confusion overcame that feeling as he heard Cordelia yell back that she\u2019d only be a second.<\/p>\n
Cordelia puffed back into her bedroom. \u201cHere.\u201d She threw a gray sweater at the vampire. \u201cIt\u2019s my dad\u2019s.\u201d She stuffed her mother\u2019s painkillers into her back pocket.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are we going to go?\u201d She bit her lips and scrunched up her face. Angel was a lot broader in the chest and shoulders than her dad.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s too small. I\u2019ll go get\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel grabbed Cordelia\u2019s hand. \u201cIt\u2019s fine. I need my jacket. Do you have any weapons here?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded. \u201cNot much but what I have are downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cKeys.\u201d Angel had his hand out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my car.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d she fished out her car keys. \u201cSo, where are we going?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure. Angelus of now knows Sunnydale as well as I do. The mansion is out and so is my old apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNice place, by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngelus took me there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWatch the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot now, Angel. We have to decide where were going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel growled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know we can go to the Magic Shoppe. Giles doesn\u2019t own it yet, so no chance of the Scoobies hanging around. I can do an uninvite spell. What\u2019s wrong with that idea?\u201d She asked at the vampire\u2019s silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou uninvite them, you uninvite me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, so where do we go?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGet rid of the your car, take the sewers, back track, confuse the scents and go into one of the old tunnels.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWon\u2019t Angelus of now, know about them?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, but, I only need enough time to do the soul spell and open the portal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat soul spell?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLater.\u201d Angel stopped the car. \u201cGet out, will leave your car here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this neighborhood?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you worried about someone stealing it? Come on Cordy, Sunnydale has the lowest crime rate in the country, well except for murders.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew there was a reason I liked this town, Gee.\u201d Cordelia rolled her eyes and followed Angel through the alley.<\/p>\n
Part 19<\/b><\/p>\n
Angelus kicked at the young woman\u2019s dead body. Useless. He surveyed the crushed skull, the woman\u2019s dark hair matted with blood, her body torn and violated. Damn, it looked like his past self had the same need to get rid of the sight of Cordelia Chase writhing around under the soul.<\/p>\n
Angelus searched, trying to catch the scent of another victim to alleviate his own rage and frustration. Angelus halted, looking back at the dead woman.<\/p>\n
Why look for a substitute when the original was waiting. He should\u2019ve just gone after Cordelia earlier once he realized that the presence of the soul in her house gave him a free pass. But, at the time, he hadn’t thought that fighting both the soul and the past Angelus was the most prudent course to get what he wanted.<\/p>\n
Angelus growled. If that was what he was thinking, what were the chances that the other Angelus had the same thought.<\/p>\n
He ran back towards to Cordelia\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Angelus jumped on the balcony, growling at the smashed window and his past self.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re gone.\u201d Angelus of 1898 stalked towards the other vampire. \u201cYour presence has interfered with my plans for the last time.\u201d He lunged.<\/p>\n
His plans. What the fuck? Cordelia was his. He saw her first. Okay, maybe not first, with this whole fucked up time line crap but Angelus was sure that he knew her longer, hell hadn\u2019t he spent days and hours in that stifling library surrounded by the teenage gaggle that accompanied Buffy. So what, that he had a soul then, it counted.<\/p>\n
Okay, so the Past Angelus clued him in on who Cordelia really was. But Angelus would\u2019ve of figured it out eventually and taken her. It was the past Angelus that was fucking with his plans.<\/p>\n
Angelus reared up meeting the past Angelus, grabbing hold of him as they both fell out of the window.<\/p>\n
Both vampires rolled to the ground, jumping to their feet and lunged again. Bones cracked as the blows were thrown with equal strength. Both vampires staggered back, blood pouring from their identical faces.<\/p>\n
Angelus of the past laughed. \u201cYou can\u2019t kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, because you\u2019re me. Guess what, I don\u2019t have any tender feeling for any past version. She\u2019s mine.\u201d Angelus growled.<\/p>\n
\u201cTender feelings, hell, I understand, I hate you too, but this isn\u2019t my first trip to the future and I\u2019ve learned something very interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Angelus\u2019 circled each other. \u201cAnd that would be what? You got better looking as time went on. Have you even heard of hair gel?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus smirked. \u201cGod, did I turn into a witless fool, spouting off bad repertoire for lack of intelligence, what the hell happened to me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGet over yourself, melodrama without a taste of humor is a bad opera.\u201d Angelus rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n
Angelus narrowed his eyes. \u201cTake this opera, you can\u2019t kill me. When Cordy was sent to me, she couldn\u2019t kill me, just like the soul couldn\u2019t when he took her, just like he couldn\u2019t kill me in his time, because I am him, I am you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, now you\u2019re being that German fellow, thought he was so existentially smart and deep, but really made no sense, his opera\u2019s sucked.\u201d Angelus growled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI die, you die, that simple. Without me, you both are dust. But, the really interesting thing is I can kill you both and I\u2019m fine.\u201d He lunged.<\/p>\n
Angelus kicked out, shoving the past vampire back. His head jerked as he caught a familiar scent. \u201cTell that one to the slayer.\u201d Angelus jumped, grimacing as he landed on the branches above. He groaned. The partially healed wounds that Cordelia had inflicted tore back open.<\/p>\n
Great, just great. Angelus sucked in his breath leaping to the ground away from his past self and Buffy. He felt like he got run over by a truck. He needed to rest.<\/p>\n
Angelus prepared to follow when he was knocked to the ground by a forceful blonde whirlwind.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou won\u2019t get to me by skulking around Cordelia.\u201d Buffy glared. \u201cStupid to even try.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus stood wiping at the blood on his mouth and stared at the petite blonde. \u201cI still don\u2019t get it. You\u2019re so skinny and a slayer. What vampire in his right mind would choose you over Cordy? I\u2019m so ashamed of what I became.\u201d Angelus spit out some more blood.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh.\u201d Buffy stepped back in surprise, she had hit him hard but not hard enough to draw blood. Buffy mentally kicked herself. She had to get over her hesitation at fighting the soulless vampire. He wasn\u2019t Angel. Angel was gone. She straightened her slim shoulders. \u201cMind games, Angelus? So predictable.\u201d She forced a confident laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cMind games? With you? You give yourself too much credit, there isn\u2019t enough there to play with. Let\u2019s get this over with, so I can get back to what I came here for.\u201d He swung knocking Buffy up against a tree. He moved towards the stunned slayer, reaching for her head, preparing to twist her neck.<\/p>\n
He winced as Buffy punched up, striking his chest, pushing him back.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou tried to kill me.\u201d Buffy blinked. Angelus teased and taunted. She wasn\u2019t a complete fool, she knew that he would try to kill her eventually, but for the present he had been gleefully happy just cause her pain.<\/p>\n
Angelus groaned to stand. \u201cI\u2019m a vampire, that\u2019s what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBack to the mind games. You\u2019re so stupid. God, how far I fell. The soul really wanted you? I don\u2019t get it.\u201d Angelus lunged; miss stepping as the pain from his earlier battle caught up with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel loved me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus laughed. \u201cNo. Soul may have deluded the demon for a moment, but Cordy\u2019s who we want. Grow up.\u201c Angelus swung.<\/p>\n
Buffy pushed away the pain the vampire\u2019s words caused as she kicked out.<\/p>\n
Angelus grunted falling again to the ground. He staggered to his feet, finally realizing that he wouldn\u2019t be able to kill the slayer under the current circumstances. He winced. \u201cLittle girl, it seems that you\u2019ll live through the night, but don\u2019t count on tomorrow, I could give a damn about whether you live or die, honestly. But, you will die if you interfere with me getting what\u2019s mine.\u201d Angelus ran.<\/p>\n
Buffy stared after the vampire. She had learned to expect a vicious tongue, taunts, and threats but Angelus said that he wanted Cordelia. That Angel wanted her. Since when?<\/p>\n