Chapter 4 <\/b><\/p>\n
The man took off his overcoat and rested it on the hotel\u2019s bed. He went over to the window, his hands caressing over a simple brass goblet.<\/p>\n
He looked down to the brown envelope that lay next to the cup. He pulled out the pictures and spread them out on the table. Angelus or rather Angel with his new family. Soon. But first he had to rethink his plan.<\/p>\n
He had been in Nicaragua when he first heard that Angelus was still alive. He had given up hope. The vampire had seemed to disappear off the map around the end of the 19th century. But he had seen her in that bar. The bitch hadn\u2019t even recognized him. He guessed that she had killed and terrorized too many to remember one family she and Angelus had butchered on the outskirts of Yorkshire or the man that got away.<\/p>\n
Truthfully, though he had almost missed her, a pregnant vampire wasn\u2019t something that was suspected. But he had seen her true face as she killed the man from the bar. He had followed her to the shaman\u2019s hut and waited. Before she died, she had told him where Angelus was. Her swelled belly hadn\u2019t deterred him from the torture or the killing. A vampire giving life, what a joke. Not a joke more like an abomination.<\/p>\n
Now here he was in LA. But his original plan of torture and death for Angelus didn\u2019t seem to be enough. Not now. Not when he knew that Angelus was no longer a soulless demon. A soul for Angelus, that was even more of a farce than a pregnant vampire. No, the soul wouldn\u2019t deter him but it would make reconsider the means to his goal.<\/p>\n
He wanted Angelus to suffer and die. But this Angel- torture seemed too merciful for a vampire with a soul. He had watched the vampire for weeks and he had noticed. Angel cared about his new family, one in particular. He picked up a picture of Angel standing close to the young beautiful brunette.<\/p>\n
They were concentrating on each other, oblivious to the environment around them and they were smiling. It was a private moment between the two. One that said it all. No. Angel wouldn\u2019t die. He wanted the vampire with a soul to live forever knowing the agony of ultimate suffering.<\/p>\n
Knowing that he couldn\u2018t save his true love. He wanted the vampire to suffer the same loss he had suffered daily for over two hundred years, starting the day after Angelus and Darla killed his one true love and the children that he adored.<\/p>\n
Chapter 5 <\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cBye Dennis.\u201d Cordelia locked her front door. She hadn\u2019t slept well and it had nothing to do with staying up most of the night hunting and killing the Vesta demon. She was still worried.<\/p>\n
Angel hadn\u2019t said anything more about her thoughtless statement. In fact, he didn\u2019t even seem to be upset or mad. But Cordelia hated that she had said it. Some things were just better left unsaid. But leaving things unsaid had never been her strongest trait. No. It was talk first; think later.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, a lot of the times they were things that needed to be said, but no one wanted to. So, Cordelia would. But not in this case. This case she could have hurt Angel. And that\u2019s something she never wanted to do, unless he deserved it. Cordelia would have to make it up to Angel.<\/p>\n
What do you do for a 248 yr old vampire with a soul? Cooking dinner was out. The waffles weren\u2019t a big hit. Though, he didn\u2019t seem to mind too much, but Angel wasn\u2019t much of a food guy. And warming blood wasn\u2019t special, Cordelia did that for him all the time and Angel didn\u2019t like it when she tried to jazz it up some.<\/p>\n
Man, it must be boring only to taste blood. She would hate it if she couldn\u2019t enjoy peanut butter or ice cream. Okay food was out. Cordelia could buy him a new shirt- a non black one. But, honestly that would probably be more for her than him. Not that Angel didn\u2019t look good in black. He did black better than Wesley. The movie character, not the friend.<\/p>\n
Well, Angel did black better than either one of them. But Cordelia liked to see Angel in other colors. To her it was sign he was lightening up and not being so broody. Cordelia scrunched up her face. She couldn\u2019t remember the last time he wore a black shirt. Did he wear one with the leather pants? Cordelia couldn\u2019t remember.<\/p>\n
Oddly, she couldn\u2019t remember anything about Angel\u2019s outfit that day except the leather pants. Cordelia shook her head. Eww. Her stomach was starting to feel funny. That had been happening a lot lately.<\/p>\n
Whump. \u201cHello, excuse me, me on my side of the sidewalk.\u201d Cordelia looked up at the person who bumped into her.<\/p>\n
Whoa. The man was really, really good looking. She loved the coat. It wasn\u2019t leather, but it was expensive and did nothing to hide the breadth of his broad, broad shoulders. \u201cSorry, I must have been daydreaming.\u201d Her tone became appreciative as she smiled into the man\u2019s blue eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. It was all my fault. I was on the wrong side. I still can\u2019t get use to which is the \u2018right side of the road\u2019 here. \u201c It was a stupid joke, but Cordelia laughed anyway. Men liked it when you laughed at their jokes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBritish?\u201d Cordelia noted the man\u2019s accent. It was slight but present.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat obvious? I\u2018m trying to blend, failing uh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia shrugged. \u201cAccents are nice.\u201c It was Wesley\u2019s accent that had first attracted her to him in the first place. It sure wasn\u2019t his overwhelming presence and confidence. Wesley had been somewhat of a dunce back in Sunnydale. And every once in awhile, Angel slipped back into his native brogue. Irish accents were nice. Cordelia shook her head, her hand unconsciously going to her belly.<\/p>\n
What was wrong with her? She didn\u2019t like that she was getting woozy. She took a deep breath. Cordelia smiled at the strange man. \u201cMoving to the neighborhood?\u2018\u2019 She nodded to the real estate section of the paper he was holding.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy job brought me to Los Angeles. I have a weekend to find a place. Do you live here?\u201d He pointed to her apartments.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, but no vacancies. I only got mine because the previous tenants died. That\u2019s how it is here. People stay until they die, sometimes longer.” Cordelia figured that\u2019s what would happen to her. No castles for her or houses with white picket fences.<\/p>\n
Eww. Who wanted a white picke fence? Cordelia wondered if she and Dennis would just hang out together in the apartment. That wouldn\u2019t be too bad, though she would have to have first right to reject any new tenants. She wasn\u2019t going to spend her ghostly existence with jerks. Maybe they could figure out a way to haunt the Hyperion.<\/p>\n
That way Cordelia could still stay with Angel until he shansued and take care of him. She could do stuff like Dennis does for her now, she could clean, draw Angel\u2019s bath. Nay, Dennis could clean, she hated to clean. Cordelia would stick to the bath drawing. She wondered if Angel even took baths. Her stomach was feeling funny again. She was probably getting an ulcer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, what did you say?\u2019\u2019 The man was looking strangely at her. Geez, there was a gorgeous man in front of her, talking to her and her mind was going all scatter brained over nonsensical stuff. She was obviously hanging around Fred too much. Cordelia smiled encouragingly at the man.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said my name is Randall Montgomery and would you like to go get some coffee and possibly tell me about some of these places.\u201d He held out the paper and pointed to the ads circled in red.<\/p>\n
Cordelia took the paper to stall for time rather than to look at it. Okay. It was daylight; they were in the open under the bright sun. He wasn\u2019t a vampire. She checked his fingers. Not for a wedding band but for the Ring of Amara. Sure Angel said he destroyed the only one. But really who knew. Cordelia wondered how she could check to see if he had his heart cut out.<\/p>\n
She stumbled and grabbed the man\u2019s hand. Warm. Okay, she was going with her first assumption, not a vampire. Okay that left only one of the other thousands of demons. Cordelia wondered how she could get Wesley to check him out in the next 2 seconds. She couldn\u2019t so she gambled. He really was good-looking.<\/p>\n
And he had an accent, not Irish, but hey it\u2019s not like Cordelia could be picky.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. There is a coffee shop around the corner. Just let me call my work and tell them I\u2019ll be about an half hour late.\u201d Cordelia smiled brightly. Angel wouldn\u2019t even be up yet. She would only have to deal with Wesley.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi. Fred. Is Wesley there?\u201d Cordelia didn\u2019t want to deal with Angel, but she did want him to know when to expect her just in case this gorgeous guy turned out to be a gorgeous evil gross demon. And well, Fred just might be a tad unreliable in delivering the message.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, Cordelia, how are you. When are coming in? Wasn\u2019t the movie the other night great? I had so much fun. \u2018Fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The first is never get involved in a land war in Asia\u2019\u2026Oh, sorry, I just get so excited. I loved that movie. Wesley is so handsome\u2026Right, you want our Wesley. Wesley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia winced as Fred\u2019s yell pierced her ear.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, Wes. I\u2019m going to be about an half hour late. No, I\u2019m fine. Just going to have coffee with a new friend. As in brand new.\u201d Cordelia held her hand over the phone. \u201cHe\u2019s like an older brother that\u2019s wants to be my dad.\u201d Cordelia shrugged rolling her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cRandall Montgomery, I literally just ran into him outside in the sun. He\u2019s looking for an apartment. I’m helping. We’re just going around the corner to get coffee. It\u2019s only for a half hour; you all can manage with out me until then. Of course, I\u2019ll keep my cell phone on, I\u2019m not Angel, Geez.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia hung up. \u201cSilly, uh. I\u2019m the one that got him the job and he gets all older brother on me. Silly. Ready.\u201d Cordelia beamed.<\/p>\n
Randall returned her smile and nodded.<\/p>\n
Chapter 6 <\/b><\/p>\n
Wesley hung up the phone. A half hour wasn\u2019t so bad, but a new friend. A new male friend. He glanced up at the stairs. Angel would want to know. But it was only for an half hour and Cordelia did deserve some sort of social life.<\/p>\n
But then again, they hadn\u2019t known about Wilson Christopher until it was too late. Wesley went up the stairs.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean she has gone to have coffee with a new friend?\u201d Angel growled.<\/p>\n
Wesley winced. How could something so innocent sound so dangerous? It must be the growl Angel ad-libbed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel it’s just coffee, I\u2019m sure everything is fine. Cordelia deserves a life outside of us. She\u2019s a young vibrant woman. Of course she will meet men. And they all don\u2019t have to be demons.\u201d Wesley completely forgot his own concern in face of the vampire\u2019s angry reaction. Really, this tendency of Angel to over react when it came to Cordelia was becoming quite frequent.<\/p>\n
Angel glared. \u201cOf course she is a vibrant beautiful young woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley started then stopped. Beautiful? Well, yes Cordelia was beautiful. Wesley shook his head. \u201cYes, well. Cordelia made a point to mention that she met this person in the sun. So he isn\u2019t a vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that leaves how many other types of demons that can take human form, exactly?\u201d Angel growled.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm. 1228. But that doesn\u2019t mean this person is a demon. There are over 3 \u00bd million non-demon persons in LA. Some of them are un-doubtfully human males. The odds are in her favor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOdds? Tell me Wesley what are the odds that Cordelia would be impregnated twice by demons, kidnapped countless times, suffered a demon induced vision coma, sucked\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I get you point. I\u2019ll look up Randall Montgomery in the computer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley winced at Angel\u2019s biting tone.<\/p>\n
Angel got dressed hurriedly. He couldn\u2019t believe Wesley would just let Cordelia go out with some strange man. Angel shuddered.<\/p>\n
Did Wesley have no concept of how important she was? And so what if this guy wasn\u2019t a demon. Angel used to be a human male and he had seen a lot of them over the centuries, they weren\u2019t necessarily safe either.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cWell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t seem to find him through the Department of Motor Vehicles. But all that means is that he doesn\u2019t have a license.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr that he is a demon that hasn\u2019t gotten false papers. How long has it been? Why isn\u2019t Gunn back yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe could be stuck in traffic or Cordelia has left him for dead because he interrupted her date.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, Angel it\u2019s been 31 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFred, I told you to tell when the thirty minutes were up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, don\u2019t growl at her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Fred.\u201d Angel turned and growled at Wesley. \u201cGive me your phone. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel pushed at the cell phone. He paced as the phone rang. \u201cCordy, where are you?\u201d Growling into the receiver as soon as she answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeez, Angel, I\u2019m a minute late.\u201d Cordelia walked into the hotel holding her phone up in one hand and waving her watch-clad wrist in the air.<\/p>\n
Angel looked at the phone in his hand and then at Cordelia. Angel slammed the receiver down and strode towards her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did I tell you about going out with strange men?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHey Cordy, safe and sound. Told you.\u201d Gunn came in the hotel. \u201cWhoever the cat was he was sportin some hip wheels. That\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a cool car wasn\u2019t it- a classic Mercedes convertible.\u201d Cordelia beamed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave you a ride? You got into a car with a strange man? Don\u2019t tell me you invited him into your apartment?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, you\u2019re starting to piss me off. Cut with the over protective wiggin.\u201d Cordelia and Angel stood glaring at each other.<\/p>\n
Wesley, Gunn and Fred backed further away<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, I seem to have forgotten some\u2026.paperwork \u2026yes paperwork that needs to be \u2026found, yes. I think I\u2019ll go into my office and look for it.\u201d Wesley quickly went to his office door.<\/p>\n
\u201cHold up, English. I\u2019ll help. \u201c Gunn followed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe, too.\u201d Fred ran.<\/p>\n
Sometimes it was just better not to be in the same room during Angel and Cordelia\u2019s discussions. They could get loud.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you…\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told be to believe the dream. Well, to find my \u2018true love\u2019 I have to at least date.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTrue love.\u201d Angel yelled back. \u201cYou just met him, you nothing about him. I know nothing about him. What are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, I know enough. It was true love at first sight. We flew to Vegas in the 31 minutes and got married in a cheesy Elvis chapel. He wore velour and I wore sequins. Now I\u2019m back to tell you that I am leaving to start my happily ever after.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are NOT going anywhere. And you did NOT marry this guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGee, duh. Man you are stupid sometimes. COFFEE, Angel, I went and had coffee with a perfectly normal guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know that. You don\u2019t know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wasn\u2019t a vampire. No spikes or green skin. Now, I didn\u2019t cut him to see the color of his blood, but I\u2019m betting it was red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know that. Wesley didn\u2019t find anything on him in the DMV computers. He could be a demon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s British- from England. Therefore, not a U.S. Citizen, therefore not licensed to drive in the State of California. He is a freelance reporter. He\u2019s been published in National Geographic, Archeologist Digest and the Smithsonian. He has moved to LA, because he is considering working for the Times. I saw his passport; it was stamped from all over. He\u2019s not married nor does he have any kids. He is 32 years old. He wants a dog, but as yet been able to stay in one place long enough. He was raised Presbyterian but hasn\u2019t been to church since he was a kid. In the last election he voted Labor. He listens to U2, Ramones, and Elvis Costello and owns all the Beatles- LPs, not CDs. Is there anything else you need to know? Oh, yeah he likes dancing and long walks on the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel stood like a fish, his jaws opening and closing. \u201cHe told you all that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also likes to talk about himself, all men do. Well except you. You have to be pried open with a crow bar.\u201d Cordelia stomped to her computer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m searching his name. If he\u2019s been published then it should come up in the magazines\u2019 archives on line. I\u2019m not stupid Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never said you were.\u201d Angel tried to keep the whine out of his voice. He shuffled over to her desk and leaned over her shoulder. \u201cI was just worried that\u2019s all.\u201d He said quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. It\u2019s sweet- annoying and unnecessary- but sweet.\u201d Cordelia patted the hand he had placed on her shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere see. If he\u2019s a demon then he\u2019s a published demon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel scowled as a list of articles under Randall Montgomery scrolled down the screen. \u201cWell, he could still be a demon. Demon\u2019s can write, those with fingers anyway and some are assimilated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel.\u201d Cordelia swung around in her chair. Her hands captured his face that was still looking down. \u201cI don\u2019t even know if he will call me. I\u2019ve not had real luck on second dates. You can\u2019t even classify a 30 minute coffee between strangers as a date.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c31 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel. Why don\u2019t we just deal with it when the blue moon rises, okay.\u201d She spoke slowly and clearly, her hands forcing his head up and down in a nod.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. But if he calls. I\u2019m meeting him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia dropped her hands and swung around. \u201cSure, dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel grabbed her chair and swung it back around his hands braced on the arms, imprisoning Cordelia. He leaned in close. \u201cI am not your father.\u201d He said slowly and clearly.<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared. Her stomach felt weird again. She was going to have to go to the doctors. The swishy feeling in her belly was becoming a regular thing. \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel nodded and stepped back. Cordelia swung quickly back around. Angel just stared at the back of her head. Why did he feel like he just did something stupid and potentially dangerous? Why was it so important that Cordelia didn\u2019t think of him as a father figure?<\/p>\n
She was driving him crazy that was the only explanation. He nodded. \u201cGood.\u201d He nodded again and practically ran to his room.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Angel paced back and forth in his suite. Okay, now that he knew he was crazy, he could deal. Cordelia was safe. The guy seemed to check out. And maybe he wouldn\u2019t call her. Call her? She gave him her phone number? What was Cordelia thinking? She probably told him where she lived too. This was not helping him regain his sanity.<\/p>\n
Okay, Cordelia was where she belonged. She hadn\u2019t made any future plans with this Randall person. And maybe he wouldn\u2019t call; maybe he didn\u2019t think Cordelia was bright, funny, or beautiful. Maybe he wouldn\u2019t notice how special she was. Angel flopped down in his chair. What was the guy blind? Cordelia didn\u2019t say anything about the guy being blind. He would call.<\/p>\n
Maybe if Angel could just figure out what kind of attention Cordelia needed she wouldn\u2019t want to date anyone. Then his sanity would return. Angel picked up one of the other magazines that he had taken from Cordelia\u2019s desk. It looked promising. It\u2019s cover boasted of a reader\u2019s poll- The Ten most popular ways a man can say he cares.<\/p>\n
The magazine was a woman\u2019s magazine, therefore the poll would have to have been completed by woman and Cordelia was a woman. Angel flipped through the pages until he got to what he was looking for. He scanned the first couple of results. No good.<\/p>\n
He already cooked for Cordelia. Though, he hadn\u2019t ever fed her or served her in bed. But, she always got up before he did. And somehow, he couldn\u2019t picture Cordelia letting him shove a fork full of food at her. Angel shook his head. He stopped at the next one- no. He already bought her clothes. And that was uncomfortable enough.<\/p>\n
All those women asking what size Cordelia was. He didn\u2019t know- he had to just go to store to store making hourglass motions with his hands.<\/p>\n
It was embarrassing. How would he able buy her lingerie like the magazine suggested. Angel shuddered as he pictured using his hands to guess the size of her breast. What would he say that they would fit perfectly in his palms? Angel jerked his hands down from the cupped position that they had crept into.<\/p>\n
No. Angel\u2019s eyes popped at the result following. Scrub her back and\/or wash her hair? Angel pictured Cordelia in a bath full of warm water, his hands\u2026NO. Angel\u2019s mind clapped down the imagines of Cordelia nude and wet. He definitely couldn\u2019t do that for her. Maybe if he closed his eyes, he could and just do it by feel.<\/p>\n
His hands\u2026.NO. Angel tentatively looked at the last result. So far, this wasn\u2019t going well. Massage, full body or at least foot. Full body? Cordelia\u2019s body? Were they nuts? What kind of magazine was this?<\/p>\n
\u201cAhem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Startled Angel looked up, the magazine still clenched in his hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel is there something you want to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia pointed to the Comos in his hand. \u201cThat magazine rarely has recipes in it, unless it is something to place on a woman\u2019s body and lick off.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh\u201d Angel gulped.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate syrup. Pretty much anything wet, sticky and sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s mind shut down as the picture of Cordelia lying nude covered in whip cream flashed through his mind. It was\u2026NO. He didn\u2019t even like whipped cream. Angel tried to get a grip. \u201cYou said I needed to dress better. This is a fashion magazine.\u201d Angel had seen a lot of clothes in it, while he was flipping through.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. A woman\u2019s fashion magazine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s eyes widen as Cordelia\u2019s hand reached to pluck the magazine from his hands. He hid his sigh of relief as she closed it, without looking at the page he had been studying.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you planning on cross-dressing now? Leather not exciting enough for you?\u201d Cordelia raised her brows.<\/p>\n
Angel refused to react. \u201cWhat do you want? I\u2019m busy.\u201d Angel said with as much dignity as he could muster.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, busy. I just wanted to be the one to tell you that I\u2019m going out tonight with Randall.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe called? Here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, Angel like I would give a stranger my home number.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going out with him?\u201d Angel started to panic.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. And before you start on me. I told him to pick me up here. Satisfied.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel nodded. He wasn\u2019t at all reassured.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, Cordy?\u201d Cordelia had turned to leave.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Angel.\u201d Cordelia rolled her eyes and faced the vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, do you want a foot massage?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I WHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA foot massage.\u201d Angel started to stammer. \u201cYou were up on your feet a lot last night, all that running through the sewers, you know to find the Vesta demon. And you don\u2019t always wear the best shoes for that sort of thing. You\u2019ve been complaining about how your feet hurt. Do you want a foot massage? It will make them feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have?\u201d Cordelia scrunched her face trying to remember whether her feet hurt. She didn\u2019t think they did.<\/p>\n
Angel nodded vigorously.<\/p>\n
Cordelia bit her lip. A foot massage from Angel. Cordelia liked foot massages, a lot. And for Angel to give her one. Her legs resting on his lap while his strong fingers rubbed her feet, maybe moving up to her legs.<\/p>\n
Her stomach was acting weird again. Cordelia looked down at her booted feet. She had meant to give herself a pedicure last night, she really had. But, with the demon and everything, she just hadn\u2019t felt like it. She stared at her feet shaking her head. Her polish was chipped, her feet all dry and rough.<\/p>\n
There was no way she was going to let Angel see that disaster area, god forbid let him touch them. \u201cUm, no thanks.\u201d Cordelia mumbled. Cordelia limped out of the room. All of sudden her feet really did hurt.<\/p>\n
Angel watched as she left. As soon as she was out of sight he grabbed the magazine and ripped it to shreds. He stared at his wall trying valiantly to figure out why he had suggested such a stupid thing.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Angel looked at the clock. Okay, five hours of figuring nothing out was enough. Anyway, he wanted to be downstairs to meet this person that was taking Cordelia out. If the man even twitched weirdly, he was out the door, head first, smack on the cement. Angel quickly showered. He grabbed the first black shirt he saw. He strode down the stairs, pulling the shirt over his leather pants.<\/p>\n
Angel jerked to a stop on the bottom steps. Cordelia and Fred were hovering around a bouquet of red roses. Angel moved slowly towards the young women. Wesley and \/or Gunn sent Fred flowers. Angel sped up reaching the women quickly. Wesley or Gunn better have sent Fred flowers. \u201cFred, you got flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The women jumped.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, I told you to stop doing that, and no they\u2019re mine.\u201d Cordelia smiled, fiddling with the blooms. \u201cAren\u2019t they pretty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel glared at the roses. Pretty? They were Cordelia\u2019s? Stupid magazines, Angel could have sent flowers. Flowers. He knew about flowers, he had just forgotten. None of the stupid magazines mentioned flowers, just bubble baths and body massages. Women liked flowers.<\/p>\n
Granted the last time Angel sent them he was Angelus and the flowers were dead and a warning to the victim of what was to come. But Angel did remember that flowers had another purpose than one of a threat.<\/p>\n
\u201cYours?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia happily nodded. \u201c Randall. Wow uh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel stared at the flowers then at Cordelia. \u201cWhat are you wearing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA dress, stupid. You would think after your new interest in women\u2019s magazines you would have figured that one out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou weren\u2019t wearing that earlier.\u201d Angel gawked at the bright red slip dress. There wasn\u2019t any material. And what there was hugged every curve\u2026Angel growled. \u201cYou aren\u2019t wearing that.\u201d It wasn\u2019t a question but an order.<\/p>\n
Cordelia didn\u2019t hear it though. \u201cDoes it look bad? Guys, you said the dress was looked good. Gunn, you even said hot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley and Gunn peeked around the corner. They looked at Cordelia\u2019s expectant face and Angel\u2019s glowering one. They ducked back around the corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cFred, you said it was pretty?\u201d Cordelia turned to the other young woman when she got no response from the men.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is. You look like the princess in the movie. Not blonde and she didn\u2019t wear a red short dress, but you look wonderful. Doesn\u2019t she Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tall man started as three faces turned towards him.<\/p>\n
Cordelia was the first to regain her speech. \u201cRandall, hi.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley and Gunn were out in the main lobby in an instant. Whether to appease Angel for giving the okay to Cordelia to wear that dress or just because- the men glowered at the strange man.<\/p>\n
Cordelia had to give Randall bonus points, he only squirmed a couple times as the three men slowly looked him over.<\/p>\n
She gave him even more points by answering their stupid questions. But enough was enough. She was hungry and Randall was cute.<\/p>\n
\u201cBye, all. See you tomorrow.\u201d Cordelia hooked her arm under Randall\u2019s and dragged him to the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cCord\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBye, Angel. Tomorrow. Bye.\u201d Cordelia waved and glared at the same time.<\/p>\n
Angel glared at Fred, Gunn and Wesley.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe seemed nice enough.\u201d Wesley rubbed his glasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cI though he was handsome.\u201d Fred said.<\/p>\n
Angel growled and stared at Wesley and Gunn.<\/p>\n
They shook their heads in unison. \u201cNo way.\u201d \u201cAngel, I don\u2019t think it would be wise to follow Cordelia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel said nothing, but continued to glare. Wesley shot a look to Gunn. Gunn nodded. \u201cHey girl, let\u2019s go see what\u2019s to eat.\u201d Gunn beckoned Fred to the kitchen.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, Randall Montgomery checked out. He\u2019s just a guy, not a demon or vampire. Cordelia will be fine. She is a twenty-year-old young woman, she should be allowed to date, enjoy herself in peace. She deserves it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel glowered then went back up the stairs.<\/p>\n