Part 10<\/b><\/p>\n
Wesley and Gunn stood on the periphery of the circle of press that enclosed Cordelia and Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe vamp seems to be okay.\u201d Gunn whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, he only looks like he wants to kill two or three of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey shouldn\u2019t keep asking him what his last name is.\u201d Gunn said, nodding towards the reporter in front of Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019Angel\u2019 what kind of name is that\u2026are you a model, is that how you met our Cordy. Where are you from? How\u2019d you meet? Do you even have a last name? Come on, the fans want to know.\u201d The persistent report fired the questions at the motionless tense vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going to blow.\u201d Gunn whispered, recognizing the silent growls and anger building in the vampire\u2019s being. \u201cWhere\u2019s the steel net?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Look,\u201d Wesley urged somewhat amazed.<\/p>\n
Both Gunn and Wesley watched as Cordelia placed a delicate hand over Angel\u2019s arm while chatting to another reporter. She ended that conversation with a bright smile and turned towards the reporter that was badgering Angel with incessant questions.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she just do what I think she did?\u201d Gunn said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you mean did Cordelia just touch Angel and he accepted it without flinching or growling but rather calming down. Yes. Amazing. Angel doesn\u2019t like people touching him. Interesting, Cordelia and Angel weren\u2019t that close in Sunnydale at all. I don\u2019t think I ever saw just the two of them talking. Then again, Angel didn\u2019t talk to anyone really, except Buffy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, they\u2019re talking now.\u201d Gunn nodded his head in their direction.<\/p>\n
Wesley shook his head and wondering what in the world Cordelia whispered into the vampire\u2019s ear that made him not only lose his former tenseness but also made him shove his hands in his pockets and look at his shifting feet. Wesley moved closer to the couple, listening to what Cordelia was now saying out loud.<\/p>\n
\u201cJustin, Justin,\u201d Cordelia tsked. \u201cGo away, you\u2019re annoying my date and I do want to go out with him again. So, all of you go away. I promised him a fun night, not the Hollywood\u2019s version of the Spanish Inquisition.\u201d<\/p>\n
“But, Cordy, why doesn\u2019t he have a last name? Is he the dark version of Fabio? Or maybe a hairdresser? Who is he? Where did he come from?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, he has a last name. Fabio, dark or light, Good God no, look at him. Hairdresser- look at his hair. Angel\u2019s my date. And he came from pretty much everywhere, settling here making me happy and feeling safe, so do a girl a favor, go bother Jennifer Hewitt, I understand she sings now- go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy\u2019s in love, the male population of America is going to be heartbroken.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShoot guys, when the female population get a gander at Angel, they\u2019ll be the ones heartbroken. Now, shoo and let us enjoy some of the night. Before we both have to go home to get our respective beauty sleeps. And remember spell Angel right and keep him properly mysterious.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy,\u201d the reporters rolled their eyes, groaning at the same time. \u201cYou\u2019re pulling our leg aren\u2019t you? He\u2019s an upcoming and you\u2019re showing him off. When will you ever fall in love and give our \u2018Cordy\u2019 the happy ever after she deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia smiled softly. \u201cI\u2019m just an old fashion girl, I\u2019m waiting for my very own hero. Good enough?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor now, but some day you\u2019re going have to seriously answer our questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia kept smiling as the laughing reporters wandered off to find their next victim.<\/p>\n
\u201cCold day in hell,\u201d Cordelia whispered harshly after the reporters. She looked up at the owner of the arm she was still clutching.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, I should\u2019ve warned you. Are you okay? You did really well. Honest. They won\u2019t be coming back. They\u2019ll go after the A-list now. The second string they go to first, but the A-list they hope to get with more than a few cocktails under their belt. You did very well,\u201d Cordelia smiled reaching up with a small caress to the staring vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you talk? Or did they scare my brave \u2018grr\u2019 guy into silence, they are pretty scary and vultury.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel pulled her hand away from his cheek, forcing a smile on his lips. \u201cI\u2019m okay. You got rid them very well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia shrugged. \u201cUsed to it. Though, Damn.\u201d She hit her forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy\u201d \u201cCordelia\u201d Both Gunn and Wesley called moving closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Angel\u2019s arm that was no longer being held by Cordelia\u2019s snaked around her waist bringing her up and behind him in a reflexive protective move.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should\u2019ve told the truth. Stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh?\u201d \u201c Cordy\u201d Wesley and Gunn responded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Angel said again, not yet releasing her from his secure hold. That\u2019s wasn\u2019t happening until he understood her meaning. Which he acknowledged based on past experience could be awhile. He held Cordelia tighter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel Investigations, sillies, I should of at least said Angel was a private investigator- who wouldn\u2019t hire him to keep them safe. Look at him tall, dark and imposing, when he\u2019s not a dork, but for most of the pictures I bet you good money and a Prada bag, it looks like he\u2019ll kill someone just like that.\u201d Cordelia snapped her fingers, then wiggling as she noticed how tight Angel\u2019s hold was on her.<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t sure if she liked being pressed up against him. Okay, now she\u2019ll just call herself silly. Gee, being pressed up against a hard male body- a really awesome hard body.<\/p>\n
Remember. Vampire, Buffy\u2019s, Buffy\u2019s Vampire, Buffy\u2019s, oh, evil possibilities can\u2019t forget that, whoa big one. Cordelia nudged harder moving out of Angel\u2019s embrace.<\/p>\n
Angel slowly released Cordelia. No danger, just Cordelia babble. Good lord, he wanted to smile again. Impossible. Angel hated this place-too many people, too many fake smiles, just too many of everything. Cordelia was\u2026.well\u2026 okay, but the rest- Angel wanted to be able to kill or leave.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for you concern, Cordelia. But, bodyguards- to the stars is not our goal. We fight the evil in Angel\u2019s vision, that\u2019s our mission.\u201d Wesley offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get that, really I do. Noble. Worthwhile. But to help the helpless you need money. Hey, I work, get paid tons and because of that I can eat and wear really great clothes and shoes as well as give money and promotion to Breast Cancer Research, Humane Society, Amnesty International, Friendly Stars of the Homeless, actually, I think I\u2019m getting out of that one. I\u2019m not sure all the money goes to the shelter. Hey, you\u2019re private investigators; maybe you could find out. Oh.\u201d Cordelia\u2019s eyes got big.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWolfram & Hart, they gave me a whole list of charities, how much do you want to bet I\u2019ve been subsiding evil, oh- that\u2019s not right. They need to be stopped. If I give you the list, you can find out right? I\u2019ll pay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, we don\u2019t want your money.\u201d Wesley shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cStupid, I\u2019ve got money, you could stand some, how can you concentrate on saving the helpless, if you can\u2019t pay rent for a office and salaries for staff.\u201d She blinked. \u201cYou don\u2019t even have an office do you? You\u2019re all the helpless, got a name, but no office. Geez. Hey, look, that\u2019s Oliver Simm and Rebecca Lowell. What\u2019s she doing here?\u201d Cordelia looked up at Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay away from her. Her career is so gone and she refuses to do age appropriate parts. She finds out you\u2019re a vampire with the whole eternal life giving thing- she\u2019ll go for it- cheaper than plastic surgery and surgery only lasts so long. Hmmph. Go with grace, I say.\u201d Cordelia glared at the older dark haired woman.<\/p>\n
Angel blinked at Wesley and Gunn. Was he supposed to answer or comment on any of Cordelia\u2019s monologue? Wesley and Gunn shrugged. Gunn\u2019s eyes got big. \u201cHey, is that J-Lo?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked to where he was pointing. \u201cYeah, she came with her honey, you know the star of the movie. I never got to sleep with him.\u201d She sighed.<\/p>\n
Gunn jerked his head towards the brunette as Wesley choked on his champagne. Angel just stared at the man holding the hand of the movie star that Gunn had pointed out. He didn\u2019t seem so great. Probably couldn\u2019t kill a D\u2019xoial demon or any other kind.<\/p>\n
Angel looked again. The guy couldn\u2019t save a cat out of a tree. \u201cCordy, do you want to?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, well, my glass seems to be empty.\u201d Wesley held up the flute. \u201cI think maybe I\u2019ll just get some more. Gunn?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019ll go with you. You\u2019re going to the bar over there right?\u201d Gunn pointed to the area that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Afleck were standing.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust don\u2019t embarrass me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia,\u201d Angel asked again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWant to sleep with him,\u201d Angel pointed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Wesley, eww, kissing him was enough. Not fun- humiliating even.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot him, the other guy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGunn, hardly know him, but he is hot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other one.\u201d Angel growled his frustration. Why he wanted to know was again beyond him. Like almost everything, since he was drawn into \u2018Cordy\u2019 the TV Star\u2019s orbit. Where exactly was the teenager that he could ignore.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, you mean the multi -million dollar mega star- that I just met on the movie set. He was the star. You know the one I didn\u2019t sleep with. My best friend\u2019s boyfriend. Weren\u2019t you watching the movie at all?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t recognize him.\u201d Angel said quickly, not mentioning that he hadn\u2019t seen any of the movie except when Cordelia was on. And he didn\u2019t have a clue who her character had sex with, since every man\u2019s face had been bloodied, beaten and screaming in terror as he watched the scenes, happily administering the horror.<\/p>\n
\u201cEww.\u201d Cordelia grimaced moving closer to Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Angel blinked away blood and torture thoughts. She couldn\u2019t know or she would be running not pressing into his side.<\/p>\n
\u201cSatan\u2019s most charming toady, Lindsay McDonald, how much do you want to bet that woman with him is evil too, she\u2019s got the look. The vicious bitch look, like her dress and shoes though, great, their coming this way. Wesley said that you had dealings with Wolfram & Hart before. You\u2019re not going to be violent are you? I\u2019m mean- are you going to have to?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel directed his attention to the stylish couple heading their way. He didn\u2019t know them but he did know about the law firm that they worked for. Angel had run up against them when he first came to LA, he\u2019d actually threatened a conference room full of their lawyers before Doyle died and gave Angel the visions thereby leaving him increasingly useless in the fighting and threatening area.<\/p>\n
But Wesley and Gunn had told him that they were still running up against Wolfram & Hart occasionally.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy,\u201d Lindsay, held up a flute of champagne. \u201cYou were wonderful, another hit I imagine and this must be Angel,\u201d the lawyer studied the vampire.<\/p>\n
Angel straightened, pulling Cordelia closer. \u201cI don\u2019t know you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, we you know, hi, I\u2019m Lilah Morgan, one of your greatest fans,\u201d she cooed to the vampire. \u201cWell, that was until you became completely worthless in the \u2018champion\u2019 arena. Now it looks like the apocalypse will just have to go on without your input. What a waste of a soul, uh. Bet you wished you were still evil. How\u2019s the craziness going? We had such hopes for you. Hello,\u201d Lilah turned to Cordelia.<\/p>\n
\u201cLove your shoes. How did you manage to get the vampire out of his babbling and banging at the walls for the night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stood straight, her eye\u2019s leveled at the other woman. \u201cThanks. Love your shoes, too, and the dress; I saw it on the rack at Anthony\u2019s but figured it wasn\u2019t quite the thing- kind of last year. I wouldn\u2019t worry about Angel, he IS the champion, be careful, he may just bite your evil ass one night and he won\u2019t even be evil; just pissed at your arrogance and culpability of the evil in the world. Go away and watch out for those bumps in the night, it could be an angry vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight,\u201d Lilah ran her eyes up and down the vampire. \u201cI imagine you\u2019ll have to lock him up in a closet before the night is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel narrowed his eyes stepping closer to the female lawyer. \u201cLilah, right? Cordelia\u2019s correct, don\u2019t worry about me. Closets have doors and I\u2019m feeling pretty good right now. Good enough to squeeze the life right out of you and toss you over the balcony. I can do it, too, really quick. Vampires are like that -quick and quiet and easily pissed off. Take Cordy\u2019s advice and go away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go, Lilah, we can be gracious and allow Angel to enjoy his one brief moment of sanity and vampachismo. Good-bye, Cordelia, you really should re-think your connection with Angel. He\u2019s going nowhere fast. You need to concern yourself with your career. Hollywood is so fickle.\u201d Lindsay said pulling Lilah away.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, whatever, minions of hell. Hmmph.\u201d Cordelia turned to Angel. \u201cAre you okay, they didn\u2019t upset you did they? You\u2019re not crazy, screw them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel stood still staring at the young woman; confidence and surety were clear on her face. \u201cCordy, the visions, Wesley explained right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia waved her hand at his words. \u201cAngel, you survived being shish kebabed into a hundred years in hell by Buffy dearest and you weren\u2019t real \u2018all wheels spinning\u2019 when you popped back into Sunnydale from that little side trip.\u201d Cordelia\u2019s hands wildly demonstrating her statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you got over it, fine. Maybe a little broodier and amazingly if possible wearing more black, but all oars in the water, you\u2019ll get over this too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia, the visions make me\u2026. I don\u2019t ever want you to be around when one hits.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia scrunched up her nose. \u201cPooh, Angel, you\u2019re my friend, I don\u2019t abandon my friends. I\u2019ll always be around.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part 11<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordelia sipped at her champagne and leaned over the rail, glancing up at the vampire next to her. \u201cSorry, this has been so horrible. Nevin, says I only have to stay to 12:00, then we can leave. I wish there was a demon or stalker you could beat up to have more fun or something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel stared, not having a clue what to say, but knowing somehow he should be saying something, anything to get that frown off Cordelia\u2019s face. That beautiful face was made to smile and to light up a room or even a dimly lit balcony.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could\u2019ve let me beat up Justin.\u201d Angel said, praying that his statement wasn\u2019t dorky or stupid or frightening. God, Angelus was the worst, meanness funniest psychopath in centuries. He could charm, entice and captivate.<\/p>\n
The talent must have gone when the soul came in, because Angel just felt mortal- awkward, and 17 again, and eternally alone and souled, and hopeless at the same time.<\/p>\n
Cordelia bit her lip, her eyes lighting up as she turned resting her back against the brace of the iron balcony. Small sounds of giggles and then laughter came from her chest. She lifted a hand back up to the vampire\u2019s face. \u201cNow, that would\u2019ve been funny. He\u2019s just a prick, but probably not the best picture to have on the front page. I\u2019ve got an idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia shot up, grabbing the vampire\u2019s hand. \u201cLets go for a walk. Maybe if my stalker\u2019s out there you can find him and beat him up.\u201d She nodded encouragingly.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not.\u201d Angel shook head.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not? Out there, beat up, case over.\u201d Cordelia nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou aren\u2019t going to be bait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHate to tell you this, Angel, but I already am.\u201d Cordelia shrugged. \u201cWeird, I so much wanted to get away from Sunnydale, vampires, death, weirdness in general. I had managed actually to forget it all. Hmmph. Thank you very much stalker-guy.\u201d She complained into the night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d Angel felt an overwhelming sense of guilt forming in his toes expanding up to squeeze his undead heart and thoughts.<\/p>\n
Cordelia scrunched her nose looking back at the vampire. \u201cWhy? You didn\u2019t bring the weirdness back. I feel safe with you, so you are a good thing. Eww.\u201d Cordelia sighed under her breath, standing straight.<\/p>\n
Angel watched as the Cordelia that he had been talking and staring at changed into \u201cCordy\u2019 the girl with the million dollar smile. He looked for what brought on the change.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, darling.\u201d Oliver Simm and Rebecca Lowell came sliding on the balcony.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember, femme fatale, stick with me ‘Raven’ my ass. \u201d Cordelia leaned up on Angel\u2019s shoulder whispering furiously.<\/p>\n
Perplexed, Angel looked at said Femme Fatale then back at Cordelia. The issue was? He wasn\u2019t going anywhere. Angel didn\u2019t know when or exactly why, but sometime over the night, maybe it had been the first thing, he didn\u2019t know anymore.<\/p>\n
The point was, his rambling mind decided, that he didn\u2019t want to be anywhere except where he was- beside Cordelia Chase. Angel didn\u2019t understand it. He lost count of the times she had touched him over the night. Pats, caresses of assurances, smacks of silliness, all soft all her and why in the hell didn\u2019t he mind, why in hell did they feel right?<\/p>\n
For that matter, why hadn\u2019t he had a vision and why was he still sane?<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, sweetie, it\u2019s been way too long, you\u2019ve just shot up there haven\u2019t you. But then such a pretty face and such a simple format, it\u2019s amazing now days how far you can come when you\u2019re young, pretty and willing to do anything, I mean anything for anyone. I wish you the best.\u201d Rebecca held up her glass. \u201cWho\u2019s your friend?\u201d she purred over the top of her glass.<\/p>\n
Angel waited for Cordelia to respond. He sure didn\u2019t want to. But the young woman seemed to be still, her nails piercing into his hand. He shot a look at the lovely brunette. The smile was there. Angel blinked. It was false and somehow he knew it. He breathed for the first time around Cordelia.<\/p>\n
Angel had decided that Cordelia\u2019s scent wasn\u2019t something he needed to experience once her saw her in the flesh. But now he had to figure out Cordelia\u2019s brave face and panicked reaction in his hand. It was fear. This was new and Angel didn\u2019t like it.<\/p>\n
Angel gently released Cordelia\u2019s grip from his hand. He felt the increased panic in the young woman\u2019s form. He cupped a hand quickly to her neck, soft fingers caressing as his released hand got a more secure grip around the young woman\u2019s waist.<\/p>\n
Angel smiled, ignoring the relief in the soft body that fell against him in trust. \u201cAngel\u201d he told the intruding older actress.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sure are,\u201d Rebecca purred.<\/p>\n
Angel moved his fingers on Cordelia\u2019s neck and pressed in harder giving a tender massage.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a name, Mother was biblical in the bizarre sense of the word.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you in the business?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen you before,\u201d the short suited man said suddenly. \u201cI saw you. \u2026what\u2026. three years ago\u2026.the party where I met you,\u201d he pointed to Cordelia.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, the one where you laughed at me and told me to go running back home to a fast food job and community theater- maybe.\u201d Cordelia gave a tense smile.<\/p>\n
Oliver Simm gave a fake smile in return. \u201cWell, look at my mistake. So, Angel, I haven\u2019t seen you on the rounds, maybe you would like another card?\u201d the little man looked hopeful.<\/p>\n
Angel fingers started working overtime as Cordelia\u2019s body tensed even more. Angel narrowed his eyes. \u201cRight, you gave me your card at\u2026what was her name, Cordy\u2026Margo\u2019s? Good thing you didn\u2019t get one otherwise you could\u2019ve ended up on a stinker of a show like Raven\u2019. Angel smirked.<\/p>\n
Cordelia blinked up at the vampire. Who was Angel? Swooping down in black leather she sort of expected, that\u2019s what he did in Sunnydale when he wasn\u2019t smooching on the slayer or in a dark corner fading into nothingness. Cordelia had stopped trying to find him in the shadows of the high school library. Cordelia had figured he\u2019d come out when Buffy was threatened and if he turned evil then some one would tell her eventually.<\/p>\n
Eek. Now she was pissed- how many times could she have been killed in that hell burg of a hometown.<\/p>\n
Cordelia studied the vampire. She wasn\u2019t pissed at him and anyway he was saving her from the evilness of Hollywood, how he knew she needed saving, why he was saving her, and why was he looking at her like she could save herself, she didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
Cordelia bit her lips and looked at the man and woman before her. They were the first in the \u2018business\u2019 she\u2019d met, the first with power and the first that went out of their way to smash her confidence and who she was.<\/p>\n
They individually and together tried to destroy her. Cordelia blinked up, her smile getting less fake but more poised- the bitchy duo had failed. She was the star now. Hmmph.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, Angel,\u201d Cordelia cooed, tapping her finger up to his jaw as she settled even more comfortably against him. \u201cThat\u2019s not nice. \u2018Raven\u2019 was already on the air when I came to Hollywood. And it was silly of me to even think about auditioning for the show. Sure, I know they were auditioning much younger actresses to take the part of \u2018Raven\u201d. I mean, Geez, even Sean Connery and Roger Moore had to retire-too old for the franchise. But, I should\u2019ve realized that Rebecca still had a couple of years left in her, hell with surgery and a personal trainer, the show could\u2019ve lasted a little bit longer. What was it Rebecca, couldn’t find a surgeon or trainer that could work with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSmile it up, little girl, I\u2019ve still more pull in this town than you ever will,\u201d Rebecca smiled up to Angel. \u201cI can open doors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel forced down his desire to throw the woman off the balcony. Cordelia was calmer, but all was not right with the young woman. Tension and tendrils of fear ran through the body pressed against him. She needed him. It was\u2026.<\/p>\n
It brought out a part of him that he had hoped was dead, buried when his soul took hold and precedence. Angel felt the smile come over him, the one he hated but the one he could use with such lethal skill.<\/p>\n
Angel leaned up, tightening his hold on Cordelia. Cordelia wasn\u2019t going to leave, but the overpriced self-important whore with promises of nothing and- god who dressed her -would leave, if he had to toss her over the railing on her purchased fake ass.<\/p>\n
Cordelia whispered up, her arms still cradled along the vampire\u2019s arms that encircled her waist. \u201cYou do realize that you said that out loud and scared the shit out them with surround sound growling and everything, well except for the \u2018visual\u2019 aspects.\u201d She looked at the empty space where the couple had been.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, why were you scared of them?\u201d Angel turned, his arms holding on to her shoulders. Ignoring his part in driving the annoying Hollywood people away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026what? I\u2019m not\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia.\u201d Angel said sternly.<\/p>\n
Cordelia glared, then relented. \u201cWill you stop pinching my shoulders, I\u2019ve an early shoot tomorrow and \u201cCordy\u2019 is suppose to be in a strapless gown for part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s hands shot in the air, his eyes zeroing in to Cordelia\u2019s shoulders trying to see any bruising.<\/p>\n
Cordelia grabbed the vampire\u2019s hand and pulled him to the wrought iron bench on the balcony. \u201cIt\u2019s not that I\u2019m scared of them- exactly. It\u2019s just\u2026I was really scared when I moved here from Sunnydale, my parents in jail, fighting the IRS, leaving me with nothing, which okay, tons of people have nothing and build themselves up, but it was a shock to me, I was a spoiled bitch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia took a deep breath. \u201cAnd then, I get here, find out that my parents actually avoided real prison and after some deal were off to an island somewhere, I was alone\u2026broke\u2026boring\u2026I\u2019m sorry, but you asked. Anyway, those two, the barracuda and her toadstool, were nasty, mean and hateful. I\u2026only met them once but they tried to black ball me, make me feel worthless, etc.\u201d Cordelia shrugged,<\/p>\n
\u201cit only had a small effect because lucky I had gotten a card that night and an interview with Stan Anderson, who while not in the trade papers as much as Oliver, didn\u2019t make my skin crawl. And Stan does have the gift of gab and magic, not icky Sunnydale-type but just a gift for the business. I\u2019m okay, better than okay, because of Stan. But it still \u2026effects me how easy some of the people I met believed all the shit Rebecca and Oliver spouted. Hollywood is so not real. Maybe, Rebecca reminded me too much of what I had been, but still\u2026I wasn\u2019t that person anymore,\u201d Cordelia rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure many would say I deserved their treatment. Oh well, it hurt and if I ever did that to some else, which I probably did, I\u2019m really sorry. Whew, wow, I hadn\u2019t spurted a vent like that in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia paused and then looked up. \u201cThank you. You were great, really, my hero.\u201d Cordy smiled bringing her hand back up to caress the vampire\u2019s face. Angel caught it before it completed its intimate caress. He brought it gently down between them.<\/p>\n
Angel leaned a little back, wondering what to do with the delicate hand that he held. It was now clenched around his. It wasn\u2019t going away on its own. It just kept getting tighter around his and the body it belonged to kept getting closer.<\/p>\n
He looked. Cordelia\u2019s eyes were staring out to nothing, remembering maybe, whatever she was thinking about caused her to want him close. What he should do was push her away- yeah, on what world? Angel pulled her closer.<\/p>\n
Cordelia peeked up to the vampire. \u201cOliver Simon gave you his card?\u201d she smiled slightly. \u201cYou must\u2019ve loved that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was interesting.\u201d Angel answered. Noticing that a small smile had returned. He wasn\u2019t sure what to do but he wanted the young woman in his embrace to feel safe\u2026and happy\u2026. he would follow her lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree years ago, I\u2019m saying it was the same party,\u201d Cordy scooted back. \u201cWhy, didn\u2019t I see you, I can\u2019t believe I\u2019d miss you. I\u2019ve got hottie radar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel looked at his hands in confusion, where did the warmth go. He looked up. He wanted those wringing hands back. What good were they doing to Cordy just squeezing each other? He grabbed.<\/p>\n
Cordelia blinked as her hands were suddenly seized. Okay.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can\u2019t hurt you now. You said Rebecca Lowell was a has-been. And I\u2019ve never seen \u2018Raven\u2019 but I have seen \u2018Cordy\u2019- and I can\u2019t imagine it was as near as good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou watch my show?\u201d Cordelia looked at her hands encased in the larger ones, trapping them but also caressing them. This was so surreal. Angel watched a sitcom, her, and he was holding her hand. Angel had made her feel better.<\/p>\n
What the hell was going on? This wasn\u2019t possible. She didn\u2019t know Angel, except as the \u2018salty goodness\u2019 guy, and Buffy\u2019s undead potentially evil broody silent boyfriend. Why was he helping her?\u201d Why did she want him too? Why did she expect it? Why did she want him? He was a vampire, for god sake, and not even a sane one from what Wesley said. But she wanted the vampire from her toes to her hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d Cordelia licked her lips. \u201cSomething\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel would have to agree, the need he had right then to decipher every nuance of emotion on the beautiful face as well as the desperate need to keep Cordelia Chase safe, as well as fearing the prospect of just \u2018her\u2019 was slightly world rocking. Angel slowly nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, I want to leave\u2026.\u201d Cordelia paused looking straight at the point in between Angel\u2018s collar and first tuxedo button. \u201cYou can take me home without calling in ALL the guards, right. You can protect me at home. No sign of a stalker, maybe there wasn\u2019t one, can you just take me home now, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel looked at the head that some how became buried into his chest and his own arms and hands were doing their best to comfort the body within their immediate dominion and control. Angel gulped, wanting to push the body away.<\/p>\n
His sanity hadn\u2019t been the most stable thing\u2026oh hell, be truthful, the visions turn him into a homicidal suicidal lunatic. What comfort could he give this woman?<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d Cordelia leaned up, her hand back to his face. God, Angel wished she would stop doing that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take you home.\u201d Angel gave in to the eyes that flickered between deep brown and gold and locked into his soul.<\/p>\n