Part 15<\/b><\/p>\n
4:40 a.m., Saturday<\/i><\/p>\n
Time seemed to stand still as Cordelia stared into Angel\u2019s eyes, his fingers caressing her in the most intimate of places. Her breath stopped, her eyes widened, and her mind argued with itself. What he was doing to her felt so unbelievably good that she never wanted it to stop. But at the same time, a very insistent voice inside her head screamed, \u201cHe doesn\u2019t love you!!\u201d<\/p>\n
That voice threatened her entire existence.<\/p>\n
Angel saw the panic in the beautiful hazel eyes looking back at him and he knew he had some serious explaining to do. Up until now, every move he\u2019d made on her had been under pretense, part of their scheme to fool her mother. He<\/i> knew that his overtures had become genuine, but she didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t have time to explain. Before he could open his mouth to declare his intentions, Cordelia shoved his hand away and bolted out of the bed. She backed away from him slowly, heading for the bathroom door. He lunged after her, trying to grab her shoulders and get her to face him.<\/p>\n
She jerked away from him, escaping. Her face was tortured, her eyes brimming. \u201cDon\u2019t touch me, Angel. Please, just–\u201d she paused, a tear spilling, tracking a course down her flushed cheek. \u201cI can\u2019t take it if you keep touching me. I can\u2019t do this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s mind was in turmoil, thoughts swirling around like hurricane force winds. The one thought that kept echoing back, the strongest feeling she had, was that he was playing her. He didn\u2019t love her; he loved Buffy. He may be attracted to her, and he may want to sleep with her, but he didn\u2019t love her. Not like he loved Buffy; not for forever. And that meant that he was just using her.<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s heart broke at the pain in her eyes. He felt about two inches tall when he realized that he\u2019d played on her subconscious desires as she slept. He knew that she\u2019d respond to him and he\u2019d manipulated her into a place where she felt extremely vulnerable.<\/p>\n
And he hadn\u2019t even told her that he loved her.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia, I\u2014\u201d he stopped, wanting to declare his love for her but the mistrust in her eyes held him back.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel,\u201d she said, her voice breaking. \u201cDon\u2019t say anything. Please. I can\u2019t take it. I trusted you, and you take advantage of me like this?\u201d Her eyes accused him, and another piece of his heart disintegrated into dust at her words.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t trying to take advantage,\u201d he tried to get her to listen to him, but it was no use.<\/p>\n
Tears were coursing freely down her cheeks now. \u201cMy whole life, men have looked at me like a sex object, Angel. Even Wesley, who\u2019s one of my best friends now, looked at me with lust the first time he laid eyes on me. You didn\u2019t. You were different, Angel. First you ignored me in Sunnydale, and then in L.A., you saw me for me. You were my best friend. I knew that if I could count on anyone not to take advantage of me, it would be you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her use of the past tense was cutting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I came to you for this. I knew that you might play the game of a devoted fianc\u00e9e, but when it came right down to it, you\u2019d respect me. You\u2019d respect the friendship that we have and not jeopardize that for meaningless sex.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t meaningless, Cordelia!\u201d He reached out a hand to touch her, wanting to take her into his arms and tell her how much he loved her, but she shrank away from his touch like he was diseased.<\/p>\n
She acted as if he hadn\u2019t said a thing. \u201cI trusted you, Angel. I trusted you with my life, and now with my heart. And you\u2019ve broken it. I know you can never love me because of Buffy, because of the curse, because I\u2019m human and you\u2019re a vampire. But I thought that what we had was special, and now\u2014,\u201d her voice broke on a sob, \u201cNow I don\u2019t know what to think of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia gave him one last, tortured look, her eyes filled with the pain and hurt that he\u2019d caused, and then fled into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.<\/p>\n
Angel sank down onto the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He could hear her sobs from the other side of the door, and he felt as though his life had ended. Again.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Saturday, 6:24 a.m.<\/i><\/p>\n
Angel feigned sleep as Cordelia exited the bathroom. He\u2019d heard her sobbing cease, followed by a long period of silence, then he\u2019d heard the water running and the unmistakable sounds of a long bath. He\u2019d mentally flogged himself over and over during the period she\u2019d locked herself in the small room, calling himself all kinds of stupid for not just blurting out that he loved her. Somehow, though, he didn\u2019t think she would\u2019ve believed him.<\/p>\n
And he couldn\u2019t entirely blame her. His actions had been less than convincing.<\/p>\n
For what seemed like the hundredth time since Cordelia had approached him with this marriage thing, Angel questioned his motives. If he\u2019d been honest with himself from the very beginning, he would have admitted that he was at least attracted to her. If he hadn\u2019t been so hung up on getting her worked up, his actions would\u2019ve seemed a lot more genuine. And his advances this morning might not have been perceived with so much insincerity. But then again, hindsight is always 20\/20.<\/p>\n
Now he had no idea what to do. He was miserable, Cordelia was miserable, and they were still very legally married to each other. He knew she\u2019d want to annul it now more than ever, and that was the last thing he wanted. He couldn\u2019t live without her. He knew she\u2019d say it was because he needed the link to the PTB\u2019s, but it really had nothing to do with that. She was the sunlight in his life, the only kind of sunlight he ever saw, and he didn\u2019t want to plunge back into eternal darkness again.<\/p>\n
She was his. He had to make her see that.<\/p>\n
Cordelia didn\u2019t even spare a glance at the inert form on her bed as she walked quickly from the bathroom to the bedroom door. She opened the portal quietly, trying to avoid waking her mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re up early, Cordelia,\u201d Mrs. Chase said, startling her daughter so much that she jumped and slammed the door behind her.<\/p>\n
Cordy brought a hand up to her quickly beating heart. \u201cMom, you scared me!\u201d She managed a smile for her mother. \u201cYou\u2019re up early, yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase smiled warmly at her daughter, masking the concern she felt at Cordelia\u2019s tired appearance and sad features. \u201cI am. I\u2019ve been getting up earlier lately. I\u2019ve read that it\u2019s the curse of retirement. Extra time with no place to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia nodded, not feeling up to much more than that. She wandered into the kitchen to start the coffee and begin preparing breakfast.<\/p>\n
She\u2019d made an important decision while escaping from Angel in the bathroom this morning. She knew that she was in love with him. But she also knew that she couldn\u2019t live with being second place, especially behind Buffy. Her heart broke when she realized how close she\u2019d come to letting him violate her, how she\u2019d almost given herself to him completely, both emotionally and physically, all while knowing he\u2019d never said he loved her.<\/p>\n
So she\u2019d decided that she wasn\u2019t going to acknowledge him at all. She was going to pretend like nothing happened, and be as uninvolved as possible. She\u2019d just tell herself over and over again that he loved Buffy, not her, and she had no right to feel as she did. The only problem was that when she\u2019d made that decision, something inside of her died. It was like the light of her existence was blown out when she acknowledged that the one person she valued above everyone else would never be hers.<\/p>\n
Completely underestimating the turmoil in her daughter\u2019s heart, Mrs. Chase perused the newspaper, enjoying the bright morning sunlight streaming in from Cordelia\u2019s windows. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful day, isn\u2019t it? Maybe we can go to the beach this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMm-hmm,\u201d Cordelia murmured noncommittally. She wasn\u2019t in the mood for small talk, especially at 6 a.m. when her emotions were so frayed.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase frowned at Cordelia\u2019s virtual silence. Something was wrong with her daughter, and she was determined to find out what. Putting down the newspaper, she stood up to seek out Cordelia in the kitchen. Just as she stood upright, the door to Cordelia\u2019s bedroom opened in front of her for mere seconds, then slammed shut quickly. She raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs everything okay in there, Angel?\u201d She inquired, intrigued at his behavior.<\/p>\n
Hearing the slam of the bedroom door had garnered Cordelia\u2019s attention and she\u2019d come out of the kitchen. She took in the sunny room and immediately realized her husband\u2019s predicament. Her inner bitch screamed to let him suffer in her room all day, but she realized she was too hurt and too tired to play those games.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, can you close the drapes? Angel\u2019s, um, light sensitive.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at her daughter strangely, saying only, \u201cOf course, dear.\u201d Quickly covering the windows, she called to Angel that it was safe to come out.<\/p>\n
He looked sheepish as he poked his head out the door, then his body followed when he ascertained that the room was no longer unlife-threatening.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sun,\u201d he paused, looking embarrassed. \u201cI\u2019m allergic,\u201d he explained inanely.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, then it makes sense that you work nights,\u201d Mrs. Chase said graciously, smiling warmly in an attempt to ease his discomfort.<\/p>\n
Cordelia swept into the room, a forced, sunny smile on her face. She carried a tray of pastries and coffee, setting them down on the table in the dining room.<\/p>\n
\u201cBreakfast, anyone?\u201d she said cheerfully, although it was painfully obvious that she was anything but.<\/p>\n
Angel noted there were three mugs on the tray, one of which was already steaming. He watched, baffled, as she handed the mug of hot blood to him before her mother could see what was inside.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s being nice to me.<\/i> Angel thought, perplexed, taking the mug from her hands. He\u2019d expected to be totally ignored, or glared at. He hadn\u2019t expected her to act like nothing was amiss.<\/p>\n
Cordelia busied herself with preparing a plate for her mother.<\/p>\n
Angel watched her carefully, trying to catch her eyes. Maybe she wasn\u2019t as upset as he\u2019d thought.<\/p>\n
He finally caught her gaze for the briefest of seconds, and what he saw there scared him so much he almost dropped his breakfast.<\/p>\n
Her eyes were empty when she looked at him.<\/p>\n
There was no anger, no hurt, no betrayal, just a blank wall of nothing. It was as if the light that was Cordelia, the sunshine that he craved more than anything, had been extinguished. It was then that he realized he\u2019d broken her spirit. He\u2019d hurt her so badly that she\u2019d retreated completely behind walls as if he\u2019d never known her at all. The door to her heart was firmly closed, and he had no idea how to open it.<\/p>\n
Angel was jolted from his disturbing thoughts as the plate Cordelia held clattered to the tabletop and she grasped her head in pain. She moaned, her eyes shut tightly as the images flashed. She became dizzy, losing her balance, and Angel rushed to her side, grabbing her and holding her steady.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you see, Cordy?\u201d he asked, anxiously. He hoped fervently that it wasn\u2019t anything outside at this time of day. Wesley wasn\u2019t battle ready yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cKids, four little ones. Crawled down into the sewer on 9th, playing down there,\u201d she gasped as the pain intensified, then lessened as the vision ended. She opened her eyes and stared up at him, her expression filled with horror. \u201cOh, god, Angel. A Ku\u2019uran Demon is going to attack them. Go. Now!\u201d<\/p>\n
She shoved at him, pushing him toward the door. Just as he reached the door, she pulled him back. \u201cSunlight, Angel! Call Wesley.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia,\u201d he said quietly. He cupped her chin with his hand, looking at her tenderly. \u201cSewer access from here, remember? The kids are there, too, so I won\u2019t have to go outside. Call Wesley if it will make you feel better, but I\u2019ll be okay. Trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n
His words inadvertently reminded Cordelia that she didn\u2019t trust him anymore, and the concern in her eyes was quickly replaced by the blank stare that had scared him so much just a few minutes earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo, Angel,\u201d she said emotionlessly, then turned away from him and walked back to her now very confused mother.<\/p>\n
He was torn between duty and desire in that moment, as he desperately wanted to stay and make things right with her. But he knew that now was not that time, no matter what he wanted.<\/p>\n
Part 16<\/b><\/p>\n
Saturday, 7:02 a.m.<\/i><\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s vision was blurry as she trudged into the kitchen for her painkillers and a glass of water. She brought them back to the dining room table and sank wearily into her chair, pouring four tablets into her hand and downing them quickly. Only then did she raise her eyes to her mother\u2019s still form across from her.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase\u2019s expression was not as surprised as Cordelia would have expected. \u201cI think you have some explaining to do, daughter,\u201d she said, smiling wryly to herself at her understatement. In truth, she had some idea of what was going on, but she wanted to hear it from Cordelia herself.<\/p>\n
Cordelia tried to think of a way to explain her life that wouldn\u2019t alarm her mother but also wouldn\u2019t sound fabricated. Her brain hurt too much, so she decided to stick to the truth. \u201cI get visions, Mom. Images of people in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re psychic?\u201d Mrs. Chase asked, her voice carefully neutral.<\/p>\n
That would be nice,<\/i> Cordelia thought caustically. Nice and normal. Like Miss Cleo.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cNot exactly,\u201d she answered. She didn\u2019t elaborate further.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd how does Angel figure into all of this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe helps the people in my visions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said it was a demon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel fights demons?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase frowned at Cordelia\u2019s curt answers. Maybe it would help if Cordelia realized just how understanding she could be.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia, is Angel a vampire?\u201d Mrs. Chase asked bluntly.<\/p>\n
Her daughters eyes flew open in shock, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as she tried to comprehend the fact that her mother had actually asked her that question.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? No! Where would you get an idea like that? Vampires aren\u2019t real, Mom!\u201d Cordelia said, trying to sound incredulous.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase raised an eyebrow, fixing her daughter with a knowing glare. \u201cPlease, Cordelia, don\u2019t patronize me. I lived in Sunnyhell for 45 years; you don\u2019t think I know what goes on there?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia just gaped at her.<\/p>\n
Her mother sighed, realizing that she wasn\u2019t going to get Cordelia to admit it until she laid everything on the table. \u201cAngel never visited me in the hospital in the daytime. He works nights. He kills demons. He never eats anything, only drinks. There\u2019s a jug of something very blood-like in your refrigerator that isn\u2019t very well hidden. He\u2019s \u2018allergic\u2019 to sun. And his hands are colder than anyone\u2019s should be in Southern California weather.\u201d<\/p>\n
After another moment of stunned silence, Cordelia surrendered to the inevitable. \u201cYes, mom, he\u2019s a vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for admitting it,\u201d Mrs. Chase said, then daintily sipped her coffee.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou seem very calm about this, Mom,\u201d Cordelia said warily. \u201cAren\u2019t you concerned that I\u2019m married to a vampire?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d she said, deliberately avoiding further explanation.<\/p>\n
Cordy wasn\u2019t going for it. It was one thing for her to avoid the topic when she was covering for Angel, but she wasn\u2019t going to drag this out of her mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy aren\u2019t you concerned?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s obviously reformed somehow. Otherwise, you\u2019d be dead and so would I.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a pause as Cordelia continued to absorb this bizarre conversation. \u201cYou have a point. Vampires tend to do that murdering people thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is in their nature, after all.\u201d Mrs. Chase said. It was as if she\u2019d said \u201cboys will be boys,\u201d and left it at that.<\/p>\n
Cordelia was definitely at a loss for words. She sipped her coffee silently, wondering if she knew her mother at all.<\/p>\n
If she only knew that her mother was just getting warmed up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think its time you told me the whole story, sweetie. Tell me all about your vampire, and how he came to be. And make sure you tell me exactly why you were looking so miserable this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, I have always wished that Mom and I could be closer<\/i>, Cordelia thought. But I never *ever* thought vampires would be involved in that conversation.<\/i><\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
The goo factor was at a surprising minimum as the Ku\u2019uran demon\u2019s head split cleanly from its body. Angel thought wryly that Cordelia wouldn\u2019t have even had a dry cleaning bill if she\u2019d come along for this battle. He viewed his kill with distaste for a moment, then proceeded to dismember it and dispose of it discreetly.<\/p>\n
After a moment of pure panic, the children had shimmied back up the ladder to the surface and scampered away, sufficiently frightened to ensure that they wouldn\u2019t be tempted to play in the sewers ever again. The Ku\u2019uran was really upset that its dinner had been scared off, but it wasn\u2019t much of a fighter and Angel was left feeling cheated. He\u2019d hoped to work out his anger and frustration in a really tough fight, but it wasn\u2019t meant to be. Now he had to return to Cordelia\u2019s apartment and face the most chilling music of his unnaturally long life.<\/p>\n
As he headed slowly back toward home, he considered his options. In truth, he didn\u2019t have many. He could pretend like nothing happened and hope that she\u2019d forgive him and things would get back to normal, but he knew that nothing would ever be the same again. He thought about locking her in a room and forcing her to listen to him, but that would probably only make things worse.<\/p>\n
In the end, he decided to wait until they were alone, and then just tell her he loved her. No preamble, no working up to it, just say it. She could argue with him, but at least he would have said it. Then he could keep saying it and show her through his actions that he meant it and he wasn\u2019t going to change his mind.<\/p>\n
He knew it was a plan as holey as swiss cheese, but it was all he had. It would have to be better than nothing.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cI always wondered what happened to the Mayor,\u201d Mrs. Chase said absently as she finished the last of her coffee.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, that\u2019s what you get for being out of the country while I was graduating,\u201d Cordelia said good-naturedly, but her words held a hint of the betrayal she\u2019d felt at her parents hasty departure, leaving her to fend for herself.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase didn\u2019t get the hint. In her mind, Cordelia had been left in the care of her sister, Abigail, and hadn\u2019t suffered for anything. What she didn\u2019t know was that Abigail, in all her snootiness, had shunned her niece, not even informing Cordelia of her parents intentions for her to stay with them. Cordelia had been left to fend for herself, her part time job and personal savings barely supporting her through the end of her senior year. Mrs. Chase had no idea that Cordelia thought she\u2019d been abandoned by her parents.<\/p>\n
Oblivious to her daughter\u2019s inner turmoil, Mrs. Chase continued. \u201cSo Angel can\u2019t have perfect happiness? That\u2019s what has you so upset?\u201d<\/p>\n
It was difficult for Cordelia to frame the words. \u201cNo, that\u2019s not it. I mean, if he loved me back, then it would be the biggest problem. But he doesn\u2019t love me. Not like I love him,\u201d she answered, swallowing back the lump in her throat.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase looked at her with disbelief. \u201cAngel does love you, Cordelia.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo he doesn\u2019t, Mom, trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mother shook her head. \u201cHe does, Cordelia. He may not say it, but the look in his eyes when he watches you can\u2019t be fabricated. You mean everything to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her words sparked a small flame of hope in Cordelia, but she quickly doused it. \u201cNo, Mom. He\u2019s in love with Buffy, not me. He might love me as a friend, but . . . no, he\u2019s not in love with me.\u201d Hearing the words aloud made it that much more painful.<\/p>\n
A very unladylike snort escaped Mrs. Chase\u2019s lips. \u201cHe couldn\u2019t be in love with that flighty, self-absorbed little girl still. She\u2019s obviously moved on. You remeber Dorthea Martin, right?\u201d Cordelia nodded, remembering her mother\u2019s country club pal. \u201cWell she does volunteer work at the museum and says that Joyce Summers hasn\u2019t been able to talk about anything but her daughter\u2019s successful new boyfriend, some good looking UC Sunnydale student from some prominent Midwestern family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia was not surprised at the fact that her mother was up to date on the most recent Sunnydale gossip. But her mother didn\u2019t know the whole story, and Cordelia wasn\u2019t about to elaborate.<\/p>\n
She sighed again, knowing that her statement wouldn\u2019t convince her obstinate mother, but she found it necessary to say anyway. \u201cYou don\u2019t know the whole story. Let\u2019s just say that there are supernatural forces at work here. Angel and Buffy are soulmates. Halves of the same whole. Star-crossed lovers. Meant to be. Nothing\u2019s going to stand in the way of that; somehow they\u2019ll be together again and Angel would never choose me over her. Never.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase wisely remained silent, recognizing the stubborn set to her daughter\u2019s jaw. They sat in companionable silence, only to jump as someone knocked loudly at the front door.<\/p>\n
Cordelia crossed the room to answer it, wondering who it could be. The knock was definitely not the timid one Wesley gave. She opened the door and her jaw dropped at her newest visitor.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaddy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Chase smiled widely at his daughter, reaching to envelop her in a bear hug. \u201cHi, baby girl. Got room for one more?\u201d<\/p>\n
Part 17<\/b><\/p>\n
Saturday, 1:35 p.m.<\/i><\/p>\n
The bright afternoon sun warmed Cordelia\u2019s shoulders as she sat across from her parents. They had just been served lunch at a garden terrace restaurant, and the quality and presentation of the food was reminiscent of the days before the IRS had turned the Chase family upside down and shook them for loose change. It was obvious that her father was back in the government\u2019s good graces, but Cordelia didn\u2019t know what had changed. All she knew was that her mother was the happiest and healthiest that Cordelia had ever seen her, and that included when they were living in Sunnydale.<\/p>\n
Swallowing a bite of her salad, Cordelia slowly set down her fork and sat back, observing her parents. Mrs. Chase literally glowed every time her husband looked in her direction, and there was a sparkle in her father\u2019s eyes that she hadn\u2019t seen before.<\/p>\n
Just then, Mr. Chase leaned over and whispered something into his wife\u2019s ear, and she blushed, then giggled. Cordelia rolled her eyes. She\u2019d had just about enough of parental PDA to last her a lifetime.<\/p>\n
Cordelia cleared her throat. \u201cHello?\u201d she waved a hand in front of her parents faces. \u201cWhat gives? You two are acting like you\u2019re sixteen or something. I\u2019ve never seen you like this before.\u201d Her parents just smiled dreamily at each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Daddy,\u201d Cordelia turned her penetrating stare to her father. \u201cI take it you\u2019re no longer in danger of being arrested?\u201d She\u2019d dropped her voice to keep nearby diners from hearing them, but she still received a reproving glare from her parents at that comment.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase frowned at her daughter. \u201cReally, Cordelia. What manners. I leave you alone for a few years and your tact has gone out the window.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia rolled her eyes at her mother. \u201cReally, Mother,\u201d Cordelia mimicked her mom\u2019s statement. \u201cWhen have I ever<\/i> said anything but exactly what I was thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Chase smiled proudly at his daughter. \u201cThat\u2019s my baby girl. Always telling it like it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRandall,\u201d Mrs. Chase reproached her husband, but there was no bite behind the word. His eyes met hers, and they drifted back to Happy Married Couple Land.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo?\u201d Cordelia said, exasperated and not wanting to lose the conversation again to their saccharine display. \u201cWhat happened to you, Daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Chase tore his gaze away from his wife. \u201cI cut a deal with the government. I had some associates who were involved in some less than reputable business dealings, and I gave up some information. In exchange, the IRS cancelled out what I owed and let me come back in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia raised an eyebrow skeptically. \u201cMust\u2019ve been some juicy information, Daddy. I thought the IRS wrung you out until you were dry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother had some equity in her name. We liquidated that and we\u2019re living quite comfortably in the Caribbean.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful there, Cordy,\u201d Mrs. Chase said, excitedly. \u201cWe\u2019d love to have you visit.\u201d Her the curve of her smile straightened out as she remembered Angel. \u201cI guess we\u2019ll have to visit Angel here, right? I would imagine that tropical destinations don\u2019t appeal to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost vacation destinations don\u2019t appeal to him, Mom, so don\u2019t feel bad about it. I\u2019ve learned to live with it. He doesn\u2019t like me going places by myself, but he\u2019ll just have to deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what\u2019s Angel like, Cordelia?\u201d Mr. Chase asked, finally setting his concentration on something other than his wife.<\/p>\n
Cordelia shared a meaningful look with her mother as she sifted through Angel\u2019s characteristics; so many of them weren\u2019t lunchtime conversation. \u201cHe\u2019s a good man,\u201d Cordelia said truthfully. She may be hurt and upset at his recent behavior, but she couldn\u2019t lie about something like that.<\/p>\n
Mr. Chase nodded and continued. \u201cDoes he have a sound portfolio?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia snorted unbecomingly. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t have anything except his good looks and charm, Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase recognized the disapproval that was beginning to form on her husband\u2019s face and she decided to take charge of the situation. \u201cDarling, Cordelia\u2019s leaving out some very important information.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia, having just taken a sip of her water, nearly choked when she realized what her mother was about to say. She shook her head violently, even considered kicking her mother beneath the table, but wouldn\u2019t have done any good. Mrs. Chase just ignored her and continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel\u2019s a vampire with a soul,\u201d she said with the emotional intensity of an announcement of a weekend sale at Nordstrom\u2019s. \u201cHe\u2019s working for the Powers that Be and he saves the world. He doesn\u2019t have time to develop an investment portfolio.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holding her breath with nervousness, Cordelia stole a glance at her father and was surprised to see that he\u2019d only raised an eyebrow at the bomb his wife had just dropped.<\/p>\n
She nearly hyperventilated when he answered impatiently, \u201cI already knew that.\u201d He waved his wife\u2019s comment away and took a healthy drink of his chardonnay.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase wrinkled her nose in consternation. \u201cHow did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked indignant as he set down his wineglass and turned to his wife. \u201cReally, Amelia. What type of father do you take me for? As soon as Cordelia told us where she was working I hired a PI of my own to check out her situation. I wouldn\u2019t just leave my daughter helpless in a dangerous town like Los Angeles. The investigator found out about Angel and his mission, and how Cordelia was helping him. The PI assured me that Angel would protect her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, why didn\u2019t you tell me about it?\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes softened as he answered her. \u201cYou were sick, Amelia. I was scared for you and I didn\u2019t want you to worry about Cordy when you didn\u2019t feel well.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled softly at him. \u201cYou\u2019re so good to me, Randall.\u201d<\/p>\n
They drifted off again, and after removing her jaw from the floor at her father\u2019s apathy toward Angel\u2019s demonic nature, Cordelia lost her patience.<\/p>\n
\u201cAHHHH! Enough, you two!! Back to earth. Please!!\u201d<\/p>\n
They turned guiltily from each other and faced Cordelia.<\/p>\n
Mr. Chase suddenly remembered the earlier portion of the conversation. \u201cMission or not, no one should neglect their finances. Can Angel provide for you, daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase defended her son-in-law once again. \u201cAngel shared with me that he has some family money saved if they need it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stifled a sarcastic comment. Her parents may know and accept the fact that Angel was a vampire, but they wouldn\u2019t accept that his \u201cfamily money\u201d was a figment of his imagination. It was a bizarre situation, but it made sense somehow. Her parents had always valued financial stability above everything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cFamily money, huh?\u201d Mr. Chase mused. \u201cIf its from his family, it must have accrued a great deal of interest, given the length of his life. I\u2019ll have to talk with him about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Randall, don\u2019t bother him with business,\u201d Mrs. Chase scolded him playfully. \u201cLet\u2019s enjoy our time here with Cordelia and Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, dear,\u201d Mr. Chase said absently, suddenly noting the fact that his daughter wasn\u2019t dressed in her usual designer outfits. When had that changed?<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, baby girl, I think its time that your Daddy spent some money on you,\u201d he smiled broadly at Cordelia. \u201cHow about Rodeo Drive?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Chase clapped her hands with glee. \u201cWonderful, Randall! Versace just released their fall line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia gaped at her parents. This entire situation was unreal, but she would deal with it later. She was never one to pass up Versace, especially if Daddy was paying.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Saturday, 7:02 p.m.<\/i><\/p>\n
Angel paced Cordelia\u2019s living room floor, his arms crossed and his expression implacable. He\u2019d returned to the apartment that morning only to find a very terse note from Cordelia saying that her father had come to get her mother and the three of them had gone out for the day. She said they\u2019d be back, but she didn\u2019t say when. He usually spent this time of day asleep, but today his mind wouldn\u2019t shut down. He\u2019d become very single-minded since deciding he just had to corner her and declare his love, and he just wanted to do it and get it over with, then deal with the aftermath.<\/p>\n
The fact that Cordelia\u2019s father was in town made Angel nervous. He shouldn\u2019t be; he was nearly 250 years old, for Pete\u2019s sake, and he shouldn\u2019t be intimidated by anyone. But the thought of having to impress Mr. Chase was enough to make his insides twist. If he\u2019d been human, he would\u2019ve felt like throwing up. He knew that getting along with Cordelia\u2019s parents was important to her, and he didn\u2019t want another problem to fix. He was already in good with her mother, but since Cordelia treated him like he had leprosy lately, he didn\u2019t know if he could pull off the same act with her dad.<\/p>\n
Just as he began to rehearse what he\u2019d say to Mr. Chase, heard voices outside the door. Dennis rushed by in a whoosh of cool air and the door was flung open to reveal Cordelia and her parents, Mr. Chase\u2019s face barely visible behind a delicately balanced stack of boxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Angel! Good, you\u2019re home,\u201d Mrs. Chase greeted him warmly as her daughter ignored him. \u201cWe ate dinner before we came home; we knew you didn\u2019t want to join us. Did you have a chance to eat yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel was puzzled, but he answered truthfully. \u201cUm, yes ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, good. Angel, this is Randall Chase, my husband,\u201d she motioned to the large man behind the stack of boxes.<\/p>\n
A muffled \u201cHello,\u201d floated from behind the cardboard tower, and Angel greeted him in return.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia, honey, what do you want to do with these?\u201d Mr. Chase yelled to his daughter, who\u2019d disappeared into the bedroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust bring them in here, Daddy,\u201d Cordelia called, and Mr. Chase disappeared into the bedroom. He returned a few minutes later and extended his hand to Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cNice to meet you, son. My wife hasn\u2019t been able to stop talking about how great you are. I\u2019m anxious to get to know you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel smiled nervously. \u201cI\u2019d like that, too,\u201d he answered, not knowing what else to say.<\/p>\n
Cordelia entered the room briefly, grabbing Angel\u2019s arm and dragging him back into the bedroom. \u201cExcuse us for a minute, Daddy. I need to talk to Angel and then you can have him back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sighing with relief that he was finally going to get her alone, Angel followed her willingly. Cordelia dropped his arm as soon as they were out of her parents\u2019 line of sight. It scared him that her eyes were just as emotionally closed as they\u2019d been that morning, but he didn\u2019t have time to dwell on it because her next words jolted him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know you\u2019re a vampire, Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
At his shocked look, she continued. \u201cDon\u2019t ask. It\u2019s a long story, one that I\u2019m not sure I fully understand. But the weirdness keeps on coming. They\u2019re totally okay with it. Actually, Daddy\u2019s more concerned with the fact that you don\u2019t have any money. He\u2019s going to take you out for a drink, so make up something to satisfy him, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm, not about to miss this chance. \u201cCordy, I love\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
She recognized the look on his face and cut him off. \u201cDon\u2019t, Angel,\u201d she hissed. \u201cDon\u2019t even think about telling me you love me. That\u2019s not going to fix a damn thing, even if it is true, which I highly doubt. Now is not the time to talk about what you did to me. If you handle it like this it may never be the right time. Just leave me the hell alone, okay? I\u2019ll come to you if I\u2019m ready to talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He dropped her arm, realizing that he had no other choice. So much for that plan.<\/p>\n