Part 14<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019Increasing unstable mental state\u2019 \u2018 babbling idiot\u2019-\u201c Lindsay said scornfully repeating Lilah\u2019s earlier words describing Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was having a good night. A rare good night.\u201d Lilah countered, throwing a file and tape on Lindsay\u2019s desk. \u201cThis is Angel the majority of the time. His mental state IS deteriorating.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI could tell when he threatened you so succinctly,\u201d pushing the items back towards the woman.<\/p>\n
Lilah sighed, rolling her eyes. \u201cThere is no way that the vampire portrayed in these tapes and reports is suddenly sane. If he\u2019s coherent, it\u2019s temporary.\u201d Lilah insisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cTemporary, would\u2019ve been long enough to have your neck snapped, Lilah. Those reports are irrelevant, these are the important ones.\u201d He threw a folder on the desk.<\/p>\n
Lilah fingered through the papers. \u201cThe discrepancies in the balance of power are increasing.\u201d Lilah looked up. \u201cYou agree with Holland, that it\u2019s the connection between the vampire and Cordelia Chase that\u2019s the cause.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is seeming more and more probable. They knew each other in Sunnydale, came to LA at approximately the same time, which was the same time of the mystical insurgence- separated the balance was shifting in our favor, Angel was no threat, together it\u2019s going the other way and the vampire seemed pretty coherent last night.\u201d Lindsay tapped his pen against the desk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey need to be separated again.\u201d<\/p>\n
The other lawyer nodded staring at his moving pen. \u201cHer stalker mentions other dimensions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilah sat on the corner of the desk. \u201cDo you think the mystical surging was caused by interference from another dimension? Is her stalker trying put things back to normal?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNormal? Lilah, this isn\u2019t normal, normal was what would\u2019ve happened if the surge never appeared. I don\u2019t have any idea what the stalker wants\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you have the love notes?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lindsay pulled out some more papers from his desk. Lilah leafed through them. \u201cHe wants his Princess. Jesus. The bimbo nobody is a Princess and a TV star? What do these words mean?\u201d Lilah pointed. \u201cMoira\u2026Kyerumption\u2026\u201d Lilah turned the letters over. \u201cThese aren\u2019t copies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIntercepted them before Cordelia found them.\u201d Lindsay shrugged, pointing to the papers. \u201cThe linguists are working on it. But so far no match to any known demon or other language.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHave we been messing with any dimensions lately?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow would a \u2018champion\u2019 from another dimension even know about Cordelia Chase? What- he\u2019s got a satellite dish?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we ever find him, I\u2019ll be sure to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, if this loon is from another dimension and wants his lady love- I say help him carry her back into a swirling black hole. Keep America\u2019s darling twit away from \u2018our\u2019 champion, let her play with the one that wants her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInteresting concept, Lilah. Do you have any black hole in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilah shrugged. \u201cIf there\u2019s a portal around that we didn\u2019t create, somebody did and I\u2019ve an idea on how to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m listening.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA while back a certain Professor inquired about the possibility of portals and dimensions- sold his soul for the ability to send his more special students into never never land- professional jealousy to the extreme. I think some one should talk him. See, if he\u2019s been getting rid of any competition lately.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a portal has opened it\u2019s come and gone- the notes are here. One would assume, the \u2018champion\u2019 of the other dimension\u2019 was too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why is Miss Starlet still here and not reigning Princess over his home dimension?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lindsay studied the female lawyer with something less than his usual disdain. \u201cI suggest we ask the Professor for a conference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part 15<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordelia stretched in the bed. Wow. She hadn\u2019t felt this relaxed in forever. Cordelia shot up. She made love to Angel. Angel- the vampire with a soul. Cordelia flopped back down on the bed, remembering.<\/p>\n
Double wow and oh my god. It had been pretty damn amazing and totally mind boggling in concept. Hell, in execution too. Cordelia curled over to her side. Where was the vampire? Cordelia shot up again as she noticed the bright very bright morning sun shining through the many bare windows of her bedroom.<\/p>\n
Cordelia jumped to her feet, grabbing the sheet, looking frantically for any signs of dust piles. She would\u2019ve woken up if the vampire burst into flames wouldn\u2019t she? Cordelia slammed onto her stomach leaning over the edge of the mattress, trying to see under the bed and the floor around her.<\/p>\n
Oh my god, how was she going to explain to Wesley that she made love to Angel all night and the let him combust. She jumped off the bed scanning the lush carpet, grabbing a shirt off the chair and shoving her arms in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d she whispered walking out into the bright sunny hall. Oh god, why did she design the place with so many god damn windows. Please, don\u2019t let the vampire be dust. Vampires knew to get out of the sun, didn\u2019t they? She squeezed her eyes shut. If they didn\u2019t she\u2019d probably have to tell Buffy.<\/p>\n
Oh man. The slayer would kill her. Sure, Angel and Buffy may have been broken up- but Cordelia didn\u2019t think Buffy would take the news too well. Angel wasn\u2019t supposed to die after making love- only other people. Angelus, maybe he turned into Angelus and left\u2026not killing her but running too Sunnydale to go after Buffy.<\/p>\n
Yeah. No. Maybe he just ran out on her. Got is nookie and left. That could work. Cordelia would much rather be righteously angry than responsible for the vampire\u2019s dust buster condition. Cordelia bit her lip staring at each step as she descended buttoning the shirt close. Cordelia paused looking at the shirt. Man\u2019s white tuxedo shirt.<\/p>\n
Okay, if Angel left, he did it without his shirt. Cordelia scrunched up her face. Maybe he was just really in a hurry to leave her- full of broody regrets and stuff. She could hope.<\/p>\n
Cordelia peeked around the corner into the living room. The morning light was blocked from the room by the large wooden shutters covering the expansive windows. Whew, she didn\u2019t remember closing them but at least one room in the damn place was dark.<\/p>\n
She looked around. \u201cAngel?\u201d Cordelia searching the corners and then bent down looking at the floor, under the couch, picking up a cushion, looking everywhere for Angel or his remains.<\/p>\n
Angel leaned up against the doorframe admiring the long legs showing under the material of his shirt and wondering what in the world Cordelia was doing. Best he could figure by the way she was whispering his name was that she was searching for him-but under cushions?<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEEK,\u201d Cordy jumped squealing at the voice and presence immediately behind her. \u201cDon\u2019t do that, give me a heart attack why don\u2019t you?\u201d she glared and then grabbed Angel in a tight hug. \u201cYou\u2019re not dust.\u201d She said happily.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d Angel pulled away holding her shoulders.<\/p>\n
\u201cI woke up and you weren\u2019t there, sun, windows. Sorry about no curtains.\u201d Cordelia shrugged. \u201cI didn\u2019t kill you.\u201d She hugged him again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot for lack of trying last night, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia reddened looking at the small smirk that accompanied the words. \u201cYou\u2019re not evil? You just made a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel frowned. He had a sense of humor with a soul too. \u201cI\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStammer, good. Figured so, no love right.\u201d Cordelia smiled up at the vampire.<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s frowned deepened. \u201cCordelia\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPooh, Angel, no one wants you evil.\u201d Cordelia shivered. \u201cNo love, is good.\u201d Cordelia peered up to the vampire a teasing smile dancing on her lips. \u201cBut maybe just a little bit of joy or something similar?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel reached out, brushing at strain of dark hair. \u201cSomething like that, something very much like that.\u201d Angel sighed, staring at the young woman. God, she was beautiful and last night had been more than unexpected it had been something close to miraculous.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t even that Cordelia Chase was a generous and welcoming lover, she was, she accepted with amazing ardor each of his touches and thrusts. It was that she had done so knowing exactly what he was. Angel\u2019s encounter with Cordelia had been full of warmth, extreme pleasure and surprising laughter.<\/p>\n
It had been fun and in a very impossible way it had seemed right as if he found a missing part of himself in those few hours of warm intimacy. Angel didn\u2019t understand, all he knew was that he hadn\u2019t wanted to leave the young body wrapped around him but Angel had sensed the rising sun and to stay would\u2019ve been fatal.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it was wasn\u2019t it,\u201d Cordelia\u2019s teasing turned into a beautiful blush.<\/p>\n
Angel leaned in wanting to feel the warmth again.<\/p>\n
Cordelia jerked away. \u201cDo I smell food? Eggs. You cook? You were cooking? You can cook? Do you eat? You can? I had eggs? I smell coffee.\u201d Cordelia searched around Angel\u2019s body towards the kitchen looking for the source of the tantalizing smells.<\/p>\n
Angel smiled. \u201cYes, to all of the above. Hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStarving. Wow. I can\u2019t cook. Marie must\u2019ve gone to the store yesterday. Marie\u2019s my maid. Is it ready?\u201d She pushed past the vampire.<\/p>\n
Angel kept his smile, wishing that he had waited a little longer before exploring her kitchen. \u201cSit,\u201d pointing to the marble counter.<\/p>\n
Cordelia happily sat on a stool watching as the vampire went back to the stove. Surrealism again. The handsome vampire with a soul was standing barefoot, shirtless in her kitchen cooking omelets. Cordelia blew out a deep breath. That was one sexy sight. She had made love to that. Whoa.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you done yet,\u201d Cordelia rested her chin on her elbow.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatience, Cordelia.\u201d Angel said over his shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if you picked up on it, but patience when I want something isn\u2019t my strongest trait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI picked up on it.\u201d Angel smiled flipping the omelet. He sure and hell felt it. Any patience Cordelia may have had in making love had disappeared as soon as her hesitation had.<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked up. \u201cYeah,\u201d staring at the apparent scratches on the strong back facing her. \u201cSorry,\u201d she winced.<\/p>\n
Angel moved the iron skillet to an unlit burner, walking over to the counter. \u201cYou\u2019re sorry,\u201d he questioned, his stomach clenching. Was Cordelia regretting her passionate responses?<\/p>\n
She waved towards the scratches also apparent on the muscled chest. Good lord, she gave the vampire a hickie, more than one. God, was she 16 again? \u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel looked down to where she indicated. He smiled at the evidence of her enthusiastic lovemaking. Cordelia had marked him. His smile turned into confusion why did that make him happy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel?\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire shot his eyes up, to the questioning ones of the young woman. His smile returned. Angel reached over to the young woman, gently moving the collar of his shirt away from her neck and chest. \u201cI guess we\u2019re even.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked down. \u201cHey, you gave me a hickie.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, you gave me more than one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight.\u201d Cordelia moved the vampire\u2019s hand away, looking down her shirt. \u201cThere\u2019s one on my stomach, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel shrugged, still smiling. \u201cHungry?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you I was. Hmmph.\u201d Cordelia pulled the shirt tight around her.<\/p>\n
Angel put the omelet on the counter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t you going to eat? You said you could.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can, but it doesn\u2019t fill me up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh.\u201d Cordelia dropped her fork. \u201cI don\u2019t have any blood for you.\u201d Cordelia bit her lip. \u201cAre you hungry? You\u2019re not going to snack on me, buster.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel frowned until he saw the twinkle in her eyes. \u201cI\u2019m fine. I called Wesley, as soon as Gunn gets here, I\u2019ll go home and get blood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s daytime.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve my car and maybe you\u2019ll let me have a blanket.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, you\u2019re going to leave, uh.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared, her face scrunched up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia furrowed her brows to accompany her wrinkled nose. \u201cI..\u201d Cordelia bit her lip. Angel would think she was crazy. Except he hadn\u2019t before. \u201cAngel, I don\u2019t think this is right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s stomach did more than clench it tightened into a complicated choking fist. \u201cCordelia, I\u2019m sorry\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry?\u201d the furrow brow was gone leaving surprise. \u201cSorry for what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor\u2026\u201d Angel looked up at the young woman. \u201cYou weren\u2019t talking about us\u2026last night\u2026not being right,\u201d Angel got out after a few unsuccessful attempts.<\/p>\n
Cordelia studied the vampire, she hadn\u2019t been but now that he mentioned it. \u201cIt..I wasn\u2019t but, Angel it isn\u2019t but it was, does that make any sense. I was talking about everything – like this, you cooking and me eating. It feels right, almost familiar- a deja vu, but how can that be\u2026you\u2019ve never cooked for me before, I never knew you could cook. And well, last night, didn\u2019t feel familiar but it did feel right but not. I\u2019m not making any sense am I?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel thought about what she was saying, it was reminiscent of what she said the night before. He was just grateful that she wasn\u2019t reacting the same way. She wasn\u2019t rejecting him, just questioning. \u201cI\u2026\u201d Angel stopped. \u201cAre you expecting someone?\u201d Angel moved around the marble counter closer to Cordelia facing the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy,\u201d Nevin said opening the door and entering.<\/p>\n
Cordelia shot a hand to the vampire. \u201cIt\u2019s okay. I was. Nevin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nevin blinked, taking in the scene. Cordy sitting at the counter wearing nothing but a man\u2019s dress shirt and the man that it obviously belonged to was standing protectively next to her, in nothing but tuxedo pants.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m interrupting\u2026\u201d Nevin cleared his throat in surprise. Cordy wasn\u2019t one to sleep around. Nevin shrugged. Last night, the private investigator had seemed more interested in Cordelia than just a job warranted. Cordy must have noticed and appreciated it. Nevin studied the couple, looking down at the newspaper in his hand, thinking about the picture in the entertainment section.<\/p>\n
The camera had loved Cordelia and her private investigator or what the reporter had labeled ‘America’s Sweethearts Mysterious Date’. Nevin\u2019s mind worked overtime thinking of the publicity for his charge- the press was dying to have Cordelia involved in a relationship and those two did look hot together.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, but it\u2019s okay. What do you got?\u201d Cordelia glanced at the bundle of mail in her assistant\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cFan mail, gone through and checked no scary notes,\u201d Nevin said for the benefit of Angel, who seemed ready to pounce on the mail. \u201cPicture of you and Angel and your article came out.\u201d Nevin held up the paper and a copy of a fashion magazine.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat pictures, the article read well, I think it\u2019s okay. Um, you might want to take a look at the poll at the end of it though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPoll, what poll? Gimme\u201d Cordy held out her hand.<\/p>\n
Nevin handed her the magazine.<\/p>\n
Cordelia flipped through the pages, skimming the words. Her nose wrinkled up. \u201cGeez, my hair again?\u201d Her eyes widened, \u201c32% polled think I\u2019m fat. Last year, they thought I had anorexia. Now I\u2019m fat.\u201d Cordelia looked down at her body. \u201cAm I fat?\u201d Cordelia raised her gaze to Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cFat?\u201d Angel was completely clueless. \u201cFat?\u201d he repeated. Angel touched Cordy\u2019s body all night and it wasn\u2019t fat. Cordelia was wonderfully curvy, plush, trim, strong and damn limber. He looked again. It was perfect, though, he would\u2019ve been happy with a bit more golden flesh to fondle and caress.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think I\u2019m fat, too.\u201d She glared. \u201cShoot,\u201d grumbling looking back at the poll. Her eyes shot up. \u201cI bet you\u2019re part of the 67% that think I should let my hair grow long again. Damn, I got rid of the highlights what more do they want?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel gulped, shaking his head. \u201cPerfect.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBody or hair?\u201d She narrowed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia pursed her lips, wrinkling her nose. \u201cHmmph. Is that all Nevin? Any other flaws in the morning mail.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t get to the last question did you?\u201d Nevin shifted on his feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh.\u201d Cordelia scanned the poll, searching. \u201cI\u2019m too sexy for \u2018Cordy\u2019\u201d Cordelia\u2019s eyes shot up. \u201cWhat kind of question is that? What do they want from me? I\u2019m truly beginning to hate this- last poll- I wasn\u2019t. I give up.\u201d Cordelia threw the magazine on the counter. \u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, the Breast Cancer shoot is in three hours, the studio wants you back no later than an hour after that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHmmph. Okay. Go away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, we\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, we don\u2019t, whatever you were going to say. Go. Bye.\u201d<\/p>\n