Go TeamC/A
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Title: A Little Ways Back
Author: (Only) Anne
Posted here: 08/05
Rating: N-17
Category: ime travel, adventure, romance (I hope)
Content: The one you have to think about and root for is C/A.
Summary: Sequel to Into the Past and Now on to the Present. If you haven’t read them, then you should. check first one for details.
Spoilers: I'm not really sure but Cordy isn't a demon, so none of that other icky stuff that followed...major change in the ATS universe...Cordy's visions aren't deadly, just were really painful but Wesley fixed that....purists leave me alone...
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. Movies mentioned- ‘Back to the Future’- Universal Studios, Robert Zemeckis; ‘Frequency’- New Line Studios- (summary- as it wasn’t anywhere the pop icon that the other was-) Solar storms occurring 30 years apart allow a father (Dennis Quaid) and son (Jim Caviezel) to talk through time using the same ham radio. In son’s present dad’s been dead for 30 years. As they talk history is changed. A seriel killer’s crime spree is altered making it worse. Once the son ( a cop) figures this out, father and son work together through time to solve the crime. ***It sounds kind of cheesy but I liked it. Things are good in my C/A universe.
Distribution: Just ask
Notes: This series was orginally started to be fun while I took a break from writing an angsty part of an another story...but I liked it enough to do a sequel and Gabby scared me enough to do another.
Thanks/Dedication: ...Gabby - no not that one….the truly scary one, the friend, and cheerleader when she isn’t stalking the board and terrorizing. This is at her request. (oh, I didn't do any real work today because of the idea she started. Her fault, all of it.)
Feedback:yes please!
Now….we are about a month later.Part 1
Cordelia bounced on the bed hard and stared. She frowned and bounced again. She nodded as the big naked lump stirred at the movement of the bed. She jumped one more time, flopping down next to the shifting vampire.
“What are you doing?” He grouched.
“Oh, I’m sorry did I wake you.” She smiled, sitting cross-legged.
Angel blinked open one eye at her innocent tone. “You know you did.”
“What I didn’t do anything.”
Angel groaned opening his other eye, staring. “Trying out the bed as a trampoline is doing something.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about you must have been dreaming.” Cordelia shook her head.
“Go away,” Angel turned on his side, clutching his pillow.
Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Angel’s broad back. Her silent Hmmph didn’t give way to her usual appreciation of the view. She was tempted to smack the spectacular ass. Cordy had a purpose. “Upsy daisy, Angel.” She nudged at his shoulder. “It’s a beautiful morning, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping.”
Angel turned his head. “Then go enjoy it,” grumbling, pulling the pillow over his head.
“Nope, not without you.” Cordy yanked at the pillow causing the vampire’s head to hit the mattress.
Angel turned and stared. “What exactly do expect me to do in the morning sunshine?”
“Get up, we can feed the chirping birds.”
“You’re insane.” He flopped back over.
Cordelia pushed at his shoulder. “Silly, you can stand in the shadows and watch me feed the birds.”
“Cordy, I’m not getting up. I’m tired. I didn’t get home until 4 am and I’m not watching you feed some squawking birds that are too stupid to find their own food.”
“Whose fault was that? Not mine. So, why should I be deprived of this beautiful morning, the chirping- very hungry- birds, and your company.”
Angel sat up. “Whose fault? How about the Soltex demon that was about to demolish lovers' lane and every necking couple there.” Angel growled. “I’m tired AND there is no way I going out to ENJOY this god damn beautiful morning. Go away.”
“Maybe,” Cordelia said sweetly ignoring his outburst. “If you had taken…I don’t know, another person, one that you’ve been training to fight, one that you said was getting quite good on that little escapade you could’ve gotten done sooner and been home in bed at reasonable hour. Then maybe you wouldn‘t be so grumpy. Hmmm. What do think about that?”
Angel closed his eyes. “You’re still mad at me and this is payback, isn’t it.”
“Me,” Cordelia pointed to her chest in wide-eyed mocked surprise. “Why would I be mad at you, the love of my life, my soul mate, my better half, the ying to my yang, the Penn to my Teller, the Neiman to my Marcus, the Rodeo to my Drive, the Beverly to my Hills, the …”
“Shut up.”
“But, Angel, all I’m saying is that I love you.”
“God,” Angel rubbed his temples, “How can you be so mean so early in the morning.” He whined.
“Mean? Angel, dearest to my heart, I brought you breakfast.” She took a mug from the bedside table.
Angel’s studied it warily. “What’s in it? I’m not drinking it.”
“You of little faith.” Cordelia tsked.
“Just yell or hit me, then let me get back to sleep, please.”
“Angel, silly love of my soul, the balm to my unrest, I don’t want to yell at you or hit you, I want to spend the day in your company, gazing in your eyes, telling you over and over again, how much I love you, vampire of my dreams.”
“What do I have to do for you to let me go back to sleep.” Angel begged.
“Well, maybe, just maybe, I can feed the poor starving little birdies on my own, if…”
“Whatever it is I’ll do it I swear.”
Cordelia cocked a brow at the vampire. “Let me go with you next time.”
“No, let’s go feed your little starving birdies.” Angel said clearly moving to get up.
“Angel.” Cordelia huffed pulling the vampire back. “I mean it, I want to go next time.”
“No.”
“Angel, that’s not fair.” Cordelia glared crossing her arms against her chest.
“Tough.”
“Angel, I’m going next time or else.”
“Or else what, you’re going to never let me sleep.”
“Oh, I’ll let you sleep and sleep and sleep, and that’s all you’ll ever being doing in this bed…alone.”
Angel narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t.”
“Just watch me, buster, watch me carry me, myself and I out of here.”
Angel held her glare. She was bluffing she had to be. “Cordy, you said that you wouldn’t ever use that as an ultimatum, you said you wouldn’t ever give that up.” He reached for her.
“Hmmph,” Cordelia slapped his hand away. “That’s when you were being just annoyingly over-protective and cute about the visions. But now you‘re being just annoyingly obnoxious and stupid. And since, Wesley found that potion, no more bad vision pain, couple of swigs and I‘m right as rain.” Cordy scrunched up her face, “I didn‘t say that…Anyway, there is no excuse now for not letting me go.“
“That’s not fair.” Angel started to get a little worried. It wasn’t as if he believed that Cordelia would actually move out of his bed forever, but she might do it for day or god forbid two.
“Tough.”
Angel wasn’t going to let her push him around. “I don’t want you to go on the visions, it’s too dangerous, don’t make Me.” he whined.
“Angel, you’re being a controlling dumb ass. You all needed my help last night. Look at you.” she pointed at the bandages that covered his chest. “Wesley and Gunn are even worse.”
“We handled it.”
“Angel, I’ve helped you before. If I can’t help you now because “We’re in love”,” she jabbed at the air making quotation marks. “Then we won’t be in love.”
“That’s ridiculous. We can’t just stop being in love.”
“Well, we sure can stop having sex.”
“No, we can’t.”
Cordelia raised her brows. “Really.”
“Really.” Angel moved, pulling her under him. “You can’t resist me.” He tried.
“Really? Is that a challenge, a dare, an arrogant boast that I hear? Hmm.”
Angel dropped his head on her chest in defeat at her steely hazel eyes. Damn, she’d do it just to prove she could. It would be hell. “How about a compromise? If we need help, you can come, but not every time and only when I say we need help.”
“How about when Wesley says.”
“Wesley? No, me.”
“No, Wesley, you’ll just say you never need help.”
Angel closed his eyes, mumbling into cushion of her malleable chest.
“What was that?” Cordelia looked down at the dark head, nestled in her breast making grumbling sounds.
“I said fine.”
“I don’t think that’s all you said,” she laughed, bringing up her fingers to tickle at the short hairs at the nape of the vampire’s neck.
Angel lifted his head at the ministrations then looked down at the soft cushion he’d buried his face in. The giggling body underneath was as naked as he was and scenting the air with a recognized and always welcomed fragrance. “You WERE bluffing.” He said accusingly.
“Pleeaase, Angel, like I would every give up making love to you. Hmmph. If you hadn’t been so grumpy you would’ve noticed sooner. Now let me up.”
“Why? You don’t want me too. I don’t want too.” Angel was back to whining.
“Because you’re tired remember and you need to rest to heal. Later.” She quickly kissed him.
Angel shook his head tightening his hold. “Well, I’m up now.” He moved adjusting his hips to show Cordy just how awake he was.
“That’s not saying much that part of you is always up.” Cordy rolled her eyes.
“Whose fault is that?” He nuzzled into her neck caressing along her side rounding her hip, his fingers inching to the soft triangular patch of curls.
“Better be mine.” The tips of her nails trailed down Angel’s spine, back to his neck, wrapping around him, shifting her thighs making way for Angel’s teasing touch. “Are you sure you’re healed enough? Maybe I should check.” She asked with the concern that was fighting her desire.
“You are checking,” Angel reassured the young woman with a slight chuckle, his lips moving to the small scared marks evident on the smooth skin on Cordy’s neck. His tongue swirling moistening the area as his fingers repeated the pattern causing tremors under Cordy’s flesh.
“Angel,” she gasped, wrapping her long legs around him, trying to fit the vampire in her. Angel pushed back, continuing with his incessant teasing, brushing through the curls, rubbing at the extended bud, massaging the moisture around, but never relieving the pressure that was building in Cordy‘s belly tensing her every muscle and squeezing at her nerves. “I’ll never be so mean so early in the morning if you stop teasing, I swear.” she begged.
“Angel,” she whimpered in complaint as his hands and lips left her.
Angel rose up on his elbows, imprisoning the young woman under him. “I don’t know Cordy, love of my life, my soul mate, my….”
“Angel,” Cordelia whined.
Angel smirked at Cordy’s pout.
“You’ll pay for this.”
Angel laughed. “So much for not being mean." Angel leaned down to capture her full lips, shutting off any more words.
Cordy sighed accepting the kiss, her hips eagerly complying with Angel’s hands raising her legs back around his waist. She gasped as he filled her, their kiss becoming more fervent. Angel’s hips moved, pushing deeper. Cordy gasped for air, her lips grazing Angel’s cheek as he burrowed his face back into her neck.
Hips moved simultaneously, force using force to create a delicate beautiful friction. Angel growled being swallowed by the heat. His fangs pierced the marks, instinctually claiming the woman he loved once again because it was allowed by her loving willingness. Cordelia’s voice tried to cry out in a scream only to be choked into a gasp as her blood was given to Angel and the intensity of his thrusts bombarded her nerves, squeezing at them until they exploded into a million flying colors.
The combined life flow of Cordelia’s blood pounding in his veins and her satin tight channel pulsating and contracting around him in her release surrounding his every dead cell, every nerve, every part of his body. The rush effused him with a moment of true life and pushing him over the edge. Angel growled out Cordelia’s name shuddering into her body, the feeling of being alive spilling out of. Angel groaned its loss but rejoiced in the continuing warmth soaking into his skin, evidencing that the love that permitted such a miracle was encased in the woman holding him and would be there always.
Angel shifted, keeping Cordy’s body close, licking at the marks that had once been Angelus, but now were only his.
Cordelia tenderly ran her hand through the thick hair at her cheek, scratching at the vampire’s scalp.
Angel rubbed further into her hand, a cross from a whimper and a moan softly growled from his throat. “Mine.”
“Mine.” Cordelia whispered in agreement and in her own murmured claiming.
Angel smiled kissing her gently, tucking her into him. “Now I’m tired.”
Cordelia smiled. “Me, too.”
“The little starving birds?” Angel cocked a raised brow.
“Stupid birds, if they can’t feed themselves.” Cordelia snuggled even closer.
Part 2Lilah flexed her fingers happily. Freedom, finally from that damn cast. She groaned. Her delight disappeared as her eyes caught the memo again.
Great. Just Great. She read it again. It wasn’t the fact that she was being ordered to Linwood’s office that annoyed her per se. She was actually grateful for it. At least the Senior Partners weren’t going to out right kill her for that last time traveling Angelus fiasco. She had heard Jeremy hadn’t been so lucky. Still. Linwood was assigning her a new partner. Which meant, most likely that she was to be watched for any more screw-ups. God please don’t let it be another Jeremy.***
Lilah’s eyes first went to Linwood at his acknowledgment. She nodded respectfully and then turned to the other presence in the room. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Good to see you, too, Lilah.” Lindsay raised his fake hand.
“Sir,” Lilah swirled around to her boss. “He quit in snit, grabbed my ass. He should be dead.”
“Lilah, it was the hand. It was evil.”
Lilah could almost believe the sincere tone that uttered that nonsense if she hadn’t saw the rolling of Lindsay’s eyes. “This one’s new, won’t be going near your ass.” He smirked showing his new prosthetic hand.
“Great.” Lilah rolled her eyes as she sat in the chair in front of Linwood’s desk.
“Lilah, I do understand your hesitation, Lindsay has re-interviewed with the Senior Partners. This is their order. They feel with your combined strengths that the Special Project will flourish. Your first project together as been assigned.” Linwood shoved binder towards the two younger lawyers.
Lilah’s body hurt as she saw the file edging to her. She squelched down the remembered pain and cleared her throat. “That particular project,” Lilah took a deep breath,” failed two times.”
Linwood leaned back in his chair. “Yes, Lilah, we know that they were yours and that they failed.”
Lilah choked her gulp. “Then we know. And the vehicle that would allow this project is dead.”
“Yes, but you very aptly kept a copy of the spell and Lindsay found another spell-caster. So, this time between the two of you we expect that it will get done, correctly. That’s all.” Linwood dismissed the lawyers.
Once the doubly thick polished doors slammed, Lilah turned on Lindsay. “This is a set up. You are setting me up.” She glared.
“Now, Lilah, why would you say that? I’m here to help.”
“With this plan? You do realize that it has failed TWICE,” she glared, “and I’ve ended up in the hospital each time,” she added.
“Side effects of war, Lilah, just side effects.” Lindsay’s gave a cocky salute with his prosthetic hand.
Part 3Lindsay sat behind the desk.
“That’s my desk.” Lilah glared.
“True, but the way you’re pacing it’s safer over here. Those heels of yours look lethal."
Lilah glared throwing the file on the desk. “It doesn’t work.”
Lindsey leaned up. “It can. You just went about it wrong.”
“What?” Lilah was ready to fly over HER desk and throttle the condescending lawyer.
Lindsay ignored the flashing eyes and clenching fists directed at him. “What were the problems before?”
Lilah glared for a moment at the question then blew out a burst of air and threw up her hands. “Angel and well Angelus.” She resumed her incessant pacing.
“Why?”
Lilah glared again at Lindsay patronizing tone. “ Look, I don’t know why your here but DO NOT think that if any one dies out of this third try it WON’T be you. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Lilah, Lilah, I come in peace.” Lindsay raised his hands.
Lilah scoffed.
Lindsay shook his head. “Believe it or not I’m back, really, life sucks and I just decided to go where I had little bit more of control over it and a great 401 K. And in my wanders back, I found the spell caster.”
“So what? We try to do the time portal again and we lose.” Lilah gave up her pacing and slumped in the chair across from Lindsay.
“Because of Angel.”
“Well, YEAH, it’s not really a surprise anymore and then there is Angelus - he’s not real controllable.”
“Don’t worry about Angelus.”
“Don’t worry about Angelus?” Lilah repeated incredulously. “He’s worth worrying about. Jesus. We ARE going to die.”
“We aren’t going to die. And as for Angel we won’t let him figure it out.”
Lilah stared at the attractive man. “Believe me letting Angel know wasn’t on our high list of priorities.”
“But he found out.”
“Because of the little shit Jeremy throwing his card around like a big fat neon flashing sign and I ended up in a cast.”
“Be grateful, he ended up dead. Angel found out because he knew Cordelia was missing, this time he won’t.”
Lilah gave a puzzled look, considering Lindsay’s statement. “What’s your plan?”
Lindsay pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket.
Lilah took it. “This is….not the same spell.” She corrected as she reread it.
“Substantially, the same but with a crucial added difference. Cordelia’s soul not her body will be transported through the time portal. Her body will be safely here useless. Angel will be focused on that.”
Lilah narrowed her eyes. “Okay. Angel won’t jump to the conclusion that her soul as been tossed…when? But, how will Angelus know that there is a soul floating around in the etherlands?”
“We’ll tell him.”
Lilah tapped her fingers together. “Lindsay, I see that you’ve given this some thought and are quite smug about it, but it’s STUPID. Angelus doesn’t want to destroy Cordelia’s soul so much as destroy it by turning her. He wants the body. Believe me this I know.”
“We’ll give it to him. We send the soul back to a time that it has a pretty young body, Cordelia’s body, to go to. We send Angelus after it.”
“Lindsay, he doesn’t a want a child’s body. He wants the grown up version. And that body is protected by Angel.”
Lindsay shook his head. “Not in Sunnydale. Read his history. In Sunnydale the only woman, teenager actually, Angel was obsessed with was the slayer. There’s no indication from his files that he even noticed Cordelia except as a teenager that was a part of the slayer’s small group of friends. A very beautiful physically quite mature teenage Cordelia Chase. About 17, I’d imagine. It wasn’t until LA that their love blossomed to the destructive plateau that keeps getting in our way.***
“You don’t think that even slayer obsessed Angel with a soul wouldn’t get just a little protective of a teenage girl that was being stalked by his past evil self. I bet he would notice her then.”
“You’re forgetting that he wasn’t always the vampire without a soul then. He lost his soul in 1998. That Angelus wouldn’t give a damn about protecting a teenage girl.”
Lilah nodded, and then raised her eyes in question. “Why do we even need the past Angelus, just send her back, and let the 1998 Angelus deal with her.”
“Because that Angelus didn’t notice Cordelia. That past already happened. Cordelia lived through the Angelus period and ended up four years later soul mates with Angel. No, we need the Angelus that wants her.”
“I can’t imagine two Angelus’ being any safer than Angel and Angelus together in the same spot.”
“But, Lilah, it will be 1998, you and I will be safely in LA, just being introduced to the wonders of Wolfram & Hart and NOW we will be in LA with Angel who will be running around trying to figure why the love of his life is in a coma. Cordelia will be the only one facing two Angelus. Hell, if the 1998 version does notice her -let the Angelus’ fight it out. Either way, whichever kills her or turns her, we’re safe and the plan a success.”
“Don’t be so sure that Angel won’t come to us.” She looked at his hand to remind him of how dangerous that prospect could be.
Lindsay nodded in concession. “Okay, so maybe as the only ones at Wolfram & Hart that knows the plan, we should take a short sabbatical.”
“Hide?”
“Move our base of operations, rather. I don’t want to lose another hand, do you want to end up in the hospital again?”
“No. Where do we start?”
Lindsay held the paper back up.
Part 4Angel cradled Cordy in his arms. The woman was grounding her fists in her eyes, grimacing.
Wesley immediately was at Angel’s side with an ornate old bottle handing it to the vampire.
“Drink, baby.” Angel held the bottle to Cordelia’s lips.
Cordelia nodded, sipping at the potion. Cordelia pushed the bottle away. “Eww. God that stuff is gross.” She complained. Cordelia unclenched her fist, rubbing her face and the pain that had been etched on her beautiful face disappeared. “But, damn, it works.” She took a deep breath, smiling at the vampire.
“Cordy?” Angel could feel the cessation of the tremors that had over taken Cordy’s body when the vision hit but still he couldn’t trust that all the pain had been alleviated.
“Angel,” Cordy raised her hand attempting to smooth the worry on his handsome face. “Really, a couple of aspirin and I’ll be fine.”
Fred dutifully held out two pills and a bottle of water.
Cordelia smiled her thanks.
Angel got to his feet helping Cordelia to stand.
“The vision?” Wesley asked.
“A couple of vampires hanging out at the boardwalk waiting for wandering food. A young couple.”
Angel nodded going for his coat. Cordelia moved to follow.
Angel turned. “I can handle two vampires, Cordelia.”
“You might…”
“No.”
Wesley shook his head. Gunn rolled his eyes. “Are they ever going to stop with this?"
Wesley comment was cut short by the yell directed towards him.
“Wesley,” both Cordy and Angel faced him with stubborn glares.
Wesley took off his glasses, rubbing at his eyes. He hated that they but him in the middle of their tug of wills. No matter what he said, one of them would be mad it was a no win no win situation. But they both had reminded him that he was the boss. Wesley took a deep breath. “Cordelia, Angel can handle two vampires alone very well.”
“Hmmph,” She glared, starting to argue, when her eyes went blank, and she slumped to the ground.
“Cordy,” Angel rushed to the unconscious girl. “What the hell? Cordy,” He knelt feeling for her pulse.
Wesley, Gunn, and Fred ran to his side.
“What’s wrong with her?” “Is she?”
“No, but…Wesley, she won’t wake up.”
“I…”
“You said that potion wasn’t harmful.” Angel shot accusingly.
“It’s not, none of the ingredients are dangerous.” Wesley leaned down worriedly. “I can’t explain this.”
“Man, we got to take her to the hospital.” Gunn said.
Angel looked to Wesley. “The last time…”
“Angel,” Wesley frowned, “That was because of Vocah’s curse, she was in the throes of a physic episode as a result of the visions. She doesn’t seem in any mental or physical distress….”
“She won’t wake up.” Angel growled, harshly disputing Wesley’s definition of ‘distress’. “And she just had a vision and that potion.”
Wesley considered and made his decision. “Take her upstairs, I’ll analyze the potion again and we’ll call Lorne possibly he can tell us if this is a result of a mystic force. If it’s natural or he can’t tell we’ll take her to the hospital.” Wesley looked to Angel for his answer.
Angel nodded, picking up the lifeless young woman.
“Um,” Fred bit her lip, concern for Cordy clear on her brow. “I…the vision?” She hated to bring it up but there was a couple to be saved.
“I’m not leaving Cordy.” Angel growled.
Gunn grabbed his jacket. “I got it.”
Wesley looked at his friend then at the vampire, clearly torn.
“Wesley, I can call Lorne and do the analysis, it will be like chemistry, I was good at that in school, not as good as in math, but I can do it.” Fred insisted, determined to help the best way she could.
Wesley nodded gratefully at the young woman. “Gunn and I will go take care of the vampires.”
Angel didn’t even bother to acknowledge Wesley’s statement already up the stairs.***
Both Lilah and Lindsay looked at the cloaked figure and the glowing orb in his hands.
“That’s it?” Lilah asked.
“Yes. The woman’s soul is contained.”
“So, we just toss it through the portal?” Lilah asked.
The cloaked figure nodded. “Once broken the soul will be released, it will seek out its appropriate vessel.”
“And in 1998, that would a seventeen year old Cordelia Chase.”
The cloaked figure nodded.
“Do it.” Lilah ordered.
The cloaked figure began mumbling. A flash tore through the fabric of the air, expanding and swirling at his words, once completely formed, the spell caster threw the glass orb into the opening. The cloaked figure slumped as the portal closed.
“I require rest before repeating the next spell.”
“Sure, time is our friend on this one.” Lindsay pointed to a door. “There’s a bed in there.”
Lilah picked up the phone. “You want something from room service.”
“Roast Beef,” Lindsay nodded, pulling out his cell phone to set the next stage of their plan in motion.
Part 51998
Cordelia jerked up in her bed. Whoa, what a dream. She blinked looking around for Angel. Where was he? He had to be back from dusting the vampires. Cordelia scrunched up her face. When did she fall asleep?
Her eyes widened as she saw her surroundings. Okay. She was still dreaming. Cordelia blinked again. Nope, didn’t work. She closed her eyes and pinched her arm as hard as she could. She slowly opened her eyes and shut them immediately. Okay, this was way wrong. Cordy's eyes shot back open at knock at the door.
“Miss Chase.” A familiar voice traveled into the room, one not heard in over three years. “Miss Chase,” the voice repeated.
“Marie?” Cordy squeaked.
“Miss Chase,” an older woman opened the door, her clothes confirming her status as a maid. “It’s time to get up. You don’t want to be late for school.”
“Uh.” Cordy closed her eyes again, praying that the woman and the room would vanish.
“Miss Chase, are you not well?” The maid came closer to the bed.
“Oh god.”
“Miss Chase, Cordelia?” The woman asked in concern, reaching out to touch the young girl’s forehead.
“Fine, I’m fine, I’m fine,” Cordelia clenched at the covers. Oh god. She saw the familar expensive pretty comforter buddle in her fists. Oh god.
“Are you…?”
“Thank you, Marie,” Cordelia forced down the panic in her voice, willing her self not to scream.
“Breakfast is ready, when you are, but you better hurry you don't want to be late for school."
Cordy nodded, not trusting her ability to speak. As soon as the door closed, Cordelia shot up from the bed, her eyes darting around. There was no denying it she was in her room back in Sunnydale. Which was impossible because she was in LA, annoyed that Wesley took Angel’s side about her going with him on the vision. So, she couldn’t be in her old bedroom in Sunnydale.
Cordelia looked down, her hand twisting in the silk nightgown. Angel, she wanted to scream out, but nothing came out but a gasp. She wasn’t supposed to be wearing a nightgown. Cordy slept in the nude, she had ever since Angel pouted like a big baby the first time she tried to sleep in anything. But then again, she wasn’t even supposed to be asleep or in Sunnydale or….Cordelia forced the scream down in her throat.
Cordelia stepped to her dresser tentatively fingering the items on it- Yep, her brush, her perfume, and her pictures. She slowly picked up the frame photo of her and Xander. She quickly put it face down. She raised her eyes to the mirror.
She shook her head trying vehemently to deny the image of the teenage beautiful girl with long mahogany hair that shook her head back in return. Cordelia looked down at her manicured toes, following the line of her legs up to the hem of her nightgown. She slowly raised the silky garment. Her hand brushed the smooth unblemished skin of her lower abdomen. She slowly looked around, her eyes fixing on the blaring absence of a sun tattoo. She closed her eyes, dropping her gown and then looked back at her reflection. She peered closer, now pushing back the dark hair. She traced the marks on her neck. Hold on. Teenage Cordy never had a vamp hickie on her proclaiming her the property of Angel. What was going on? Physically she was her seventeen-year-old self in every way but that.
Cordelia walked stunned back to the bed, hugging at her knees trying to think.
All the evidence pointed to the bizarre conclusion that she was back in Sunnydale as a 17 year old except with her 20-year-old mind. But why, how…? Think. She had a vision. Cordelia took the potion. She stood up. Started to argue with Angel, she….nothing.
Okay, possible side effect of the visions, maybe they finally drove her crazy, or it could’ve been the potion. Maybe she was safely in LA, just crazy. Cordelia could hope. Angel wouldn’t let her stay crazy for long.
She didn’t feel crazy, well actually she did and if she felt crazy didn’t that mean she wasn’t. Now she was driving herself crazy. She stopped that train of thought. Cordelia wanted to be crazy in LA with Angel not in Sunnydale in her 17-year-old body.
Cordelia slowly got to her feet. She couldn’t stay hiding in her room. She thought about it a minute. Why not? She shook her head. If she was in Sunnydale then she needed to find out why and how. What had Marie said? School. Cordelia sighed it looked like she would be revisiting her alma mater and its library.
Part 6London 1898
“My Darling Boy,” Darla caressed Angelus scowling face. “Why so unhappy? Don’t you like my little gift?”
Angelus stared down at the bound crying woman, her long dark hair hiding her face. The hair. There was something about the hair, the color. He slowly rose from the plush velvet chair kneeling when he got to the woman.
Darla grinned clapping her hands together. “That’s right, my boy. Let’s play with the lovely.”
Angelus grabbed a fistful of the bountiful hair, yanking the woman’s face to his. He scowled as the frightened teary blue eyes stared back. He studied the pert nose, the too thin lips. Pretty. Angelus growled slamming the woman’s face to the floor, causing blood to spread underneath. “I can get my own food,” stepping away from the woman.
“Angelus, what is wrong with you, first you disappear for days and, for some reason cut you hair why you don't even know and come home only to act like a petulant child.” Darla scolded harshly coming up to the vampire.
“Get out of my face, Darla.”
Darla raised her hand, backhanding Angelus. “Don’t talk to me like that, I am your sire,” her eyes flashing. “Now eat the girl and be a good boy.”
Angelus growled throwing Darla across the room. “I am not a fledging, you need to start remembering that,” storming out of the elegant room.
“Daddy’s head is all clouded.” Drusilla crooned from the doorway.
Darla glared, getting to her feet. “Be quiet, you twit.”
“Come on, Pet. Let’s go somewhere fun, this sure and hell isn’t” Spike tugged at his sire.***
Angelus angrily stalked the streets of the East End heading towards Gertie’s. The other late night wanders kept out his way, even the streetwalkers, all sensing the danger that flowed from the dark handsome man.
Angelus growled, fingering his hair, ignoring the scattering mortals. He had no memory of cutting it, just like he had no memory of his missing days and nights. All he remembered was waking up dazed in an alley, bruised, feeling as if he had been beaten and then put to sleep. Yet, there was a vague vision of brown hair, beauty, fire, and need. A woman. One he tasted, marked, one that got away. He did remember that. Angelus had wanted to turn the brunette, place her at his side; the ache to do so was a constant pounding in his head. But he hadn’t been able to, something, …no not something- another vampire had taken her from him.
Angelus turned at a slight sound coming from the adjoining alley. A streetwalker was servicing a man against the dirty bricks. Angelus narrowed his eyes, seeing the dark color of the woman’s hair as her head moved, moaning in fake pleasure. Angel’s eyes glowed yellow, his demon bringing forth his fangs and ridged brow as he saw the man thrust repeatedly into the woman.
Angelus ripped the man off the woman, breaking his neck easily. He yanked at the woman pulling her face up to him. He growled, breaking her neck also. The woman fell to the ground her dead green eyes and rotten teeth gapped up in shocked surprise.
Angelus swirled around sensing more movement. The alley filled with men, in strange dress armed with unfamiliar weapons. The air crackled behind Angelus, sizzling and opening into a swirling hole. Angelus stared at the expanding hole, the phenomenon triggering his memories, clearing the fog. He slowly smiled turning back to the men, his human face sliding over his expression. “Lilah, send you?”
The man assuming the lead position lowered his weapon, as the other men’s weapons remained trained on the vampire. “She requests your help on some unfinished business.”
“By all means.” Angelus laughed. He was getting another chance to get his Cordy.
Part 7Present
Angelus stepped out of the portal, his eyes targeting Lilah's. “Where is she?”
“Good to see you too, Angelus.”
“Lilah, I haven’t forgotten my promise to cut you into little pieces if you interfere with my desire to have Cordy.”
Lilah gave a slight smile, nodding to the security guards that appeared after Angelus, beckoning them to keep their tranquilizer guns pointed at the vampire. “I do remember something about torture, but not the cutting up bit.”
“I must’ve left it out. Where is she?”
“Cordelia Chase is no longer in this time.” Lindsay stepped forward.
“Who are you?” Angelus studied the man, his eyes resting momentarily on his prosthetic.
“I’m work for the same employers as Lilah. Our objective remains the same as before.”
“To kill Cordelia and damn my future ensouled self. Well, I don’t want him damned, I want him dead. I want Cordy." He growled.
“You succeed he’ll be gone and we’re more flexible about how you kill Cordelia Chase this time around, turn her if you want, we don’t care.”
Angelus narrowed his eyes. “I'm remaining here." Angelus jerked his head towards Lilah. “That bitch wanted to send me back.”
“And here I thought we had gotten so close.” Lilah snorted.
“What? You want to spread you’re legs for me again. You wouldn’t live through it this time. Hey, that would be fun.” He winked with smirk.
“As tempting as that is, I’ll pass.” Lilah stepped back even further from the vampire.
Lindsay rolled his eyes. “You fucked Angelus? What couldn’t get Angel in your bed so you went with the evil version? You’re a real piece of work.”
“So, says the man that had the hots for the syphilic whore.” Lilah scoffed.
“Children, do I need to start ripping heads off.” Angelus said menancingly, low but with the ability to stop the lawyers bickering.
Lindsay turned back to the vampire. “It was a mistake to try to send you back to a time period that would only lead to you getting cursed again.”
Lilah narrowed her eyes. “Angel would be damned. He wouldn’t have a soul.”
“In the 21st century, but that one,” Lindsay pointed to Angelus, “Would just get one back in the 19th century. Didn’t you ever watch Star Trek? No, Angelus needs to be sent to a time after Angel gets his soul so it won’t happen again. Another reason to send him to 1998.”
“I like it here in the 21st.”
“It’s a only a few years back and in the here and now, Cordelia was protected by Angel.”
“I can kill him.”
“Yes, but there are certain advantages for you by going back, the most obvious one, of course is, that’s where Cordelia’s soul is.”
“Soul? I don’t want her soul.” Angelus growled.
“We understand that, but that is the soul you need to destroy, and right now it’s being housed in a slighty younger Cordelia Chase. And better yet, while Angel knows that Cordelia he has no interest in her. In fact, he’s in love with the slayer.”
Angelus fell into the nearest chair slightly nauseous. “I don’t believe you. In love with a slayer? Impossible.” The more he heard about his future self the more it sickened him.
“Sorry, but it’s true. She’s a friend of Cordelia’s. Buffy Summers, blonde very pretty, if that makes you feel any better.” Lindsay said somewhat sympathetically as the vampire got even paler than his natural complexion.
“It’s doesn’t.” Angelus head started to hurt. Vampires were supposed to kill slayers. His future self had to die.
“Of course, Angel isn’t really Angel right now or rather right then. He lost his soul after having sex with the slayer, triggering a happy clause in the curse. Now or rather then, he’s obsessed with terrorizing her and her friends. He’s Angelus, you. But, you shouldn’t have to worry about him interfering with your plans for Cordelia. From the files of the era, he barely notices her. He gets his soul back a few months later.”
“NO.” Angelus stood. “Not me- no matter what he calls himself.” Angelus could barely believe it. Angelus would never love a slayer or not notice Cordy. That Angelus was as much of a fraud as the ensouled freak. “I’ll kill him.”
“Okay.” Lindsay shrugged. “Angelus, we won’t send you back to 1898 but also know we won’t bring you back to this time, but that shouldn’t bother you, you like it in this time, well its only 2002. You’ll be damn close to the 21st century and you’ll have Cordelia.”
Lilah looked at Lindsay, galled that the other lawyer told Angelus the truth.
Angelus studied the lawyer, his expression passive, slowly nodding. Four years, he wouldn’t wait that long to kill the lawyers.
Part 8Angel stood as Lorne hurried into the room. “Freddykins said that the princess….” The green demon halted and gulped as he stared at prone body on the bed. “Angel.” Lorne looked at the vampire.
“You’ve got to help her. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She won’t wake up. She just lies there barely breathing her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.”
Lorne nodded the vampire’s morose and frightened expression worrying him more than Angel’s words.
Lorne sat on the edge of the bed, placing his fingertips on Cordelia’s temples. “Come on, sweetie, tell your best bud Lorne what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours.” Lorne beckoned. Lorne frowned, lifting his fingers, studying the young woman. He tried again. “Come on, honey.” Lorne closed his eyes his hands leaving her face to briefly clutch at her hand, stood up, and took a deep breath before turning to face Angel.
“Lorne?”
The demon half waved and half shrugged. “I don’t know, Angel,” his voice serious. “I can’t read anything from her.”
“So, it’s not mystical.” Angel didn’t know if that relieved him or not. He wasn’t a doctor, if it was physical, Angel couldn’t do anything but wait and hope and he had to do something, seeing Cordelia like this was killing him.
“I didn’t say that. I can’t read ANYTHING, Angel. No aura, no nothing. Her soul is gone. The princess is empty. Something stole her soul and that isn't natural.” Lorne empahized.
Fred gasped, standing in between Wesley and Gunn. All three were huddled in the doorway.
Angel blinked. “Her soul? She’s alive. Her soul can’t be gone.”
Fred blinked up to Wesley. “Will she wake up evil, like Angel if he lost his soul?”
“She didn’t lose her soul.” Angel growled.
“Angel cakes, it’s gone, what’s left is a vessel only.” Lorne said gently.
Wesley moved in the room. “She won’t wake up will she- not without her soul.”
Lorne shook his head. “Unlike Angel cakes, she needs her soul. Angel’s a vampire, the soul an anomaly. Without it, he still is a vampire. Angel is his ‘self’ abet nasty. But, the Princess is a human, her soul is who she is- the body merely a beautiful vessel, it lives but it’s not animated with ‘Cordy’. It’s nothing.”
Angel stilled. “It’s Cordelia. She’s in there.” His voice straining not to break.
Wesley stared at Cordy’s body. “Someone must have done a spell, it’s the only way.”
Angel’s jerked his head up moving towards the door. Finally, something he could hear, giving him something to do.
“Angel, where are you going?”
“To pay Lilah a visit,” he growled disappearing.
“Those bastards wouldn’t be stupid enough to mess with Cordy again….” Gunn grunted and answered his own question. “Of course they would.” He nodded to Wesley. “Should we go with him?”
“We would just get in the way. Fred, could you please help me. If Angel doesn’t find the answers at Wolfram & Hart, we need too.”
Fred blinked her teary gaze away from Cordy, nodding.
“Fuck, that law firm needs to be blown up.” Gunn grunted.
Lorne nodded in complete agreement.