Go TeamC/A
Chapter Two
At one point in the confrontation, Buffy seriously doubted that she'd come out the winner. Moments after being tossed through the air for what seemed to them all like the millionth time that night, Willow put to good use the contents of the small sack containing strength-sapper.
The effect on the demon was almost instantaneous. Shaking its ugly head, it staggered, visibly sagging as its strength rapidly drained away. Taking advantage of its stooped stance, Buffy grabbed it in a headlock and wrenched sharply to the side. With a sickening but satisfying crack, the large body folded as soon as she released it.
Bending over with her hands resting on trembling knees she caught her breath. Sweat dotted her brow and she ached all over. Buffy had to admit, she hadn’t felt this wrung out since that awful – and terrifying confrontation with Luke. The Master’s super-strong sidekick had almost succeeded in killing her that night. Even now the memory of it caused a shudder to go through her slight frame.
Letting out a relieved breath, she finally glanced up, catching her anxious friends’ gazes. “Go Wills!” The heartfelt grin that accompanied Buffy’s words had the young witch blushing even as pride glinted in her green eyes.
“No big. If it hadn’t thrown you so far out of the way, I’d never have had a chance to help.” Her flush deepened at the askance looks she got from them both and rushed to rephrase. “At least the poor tree stopped you from hitting the stingy bushes.”
“Poor tree? What about my poor butt?” Buffy asked wryly as she tentatively rubbed the abused spot. Willow decided to zip her lip before the other foot joined her mouth and sheepishly averted her gaze. Glancing at the chunk missing from the tree, she winced. That had to hurt...Slayers were tough, not invincible.
"I think I've got a splinter," Buffy added with a grimace and gingerly ran her fingers along the lean curve of her bottom.
"I'll take a look," Xander offered, instantly moving towards her- then flushed bright red when he realized just where the injury was. Changing direction he instead threw an arm around Willow’s shoulders. “You did good, Will,” he added to the praise giving her a quick hug.
“And I didn’t drop it!" She replied triumphantly, The smirk that had appeared on Buffy’s face at Xander’s impulsive offer widened into a satisfied grin as she walked over to join them.
“Cool moves with the crossbow, Xan,” she added, lightly punching his shoulder and a proud smile tilted his full mouth even as he shrugged.
After a few minutes of wallowing in mutual success, Xander glanced around. A frown creased his brow as he searched the surrounding area, the smile gradually fading as it occurred to him something was wrong with this picture. “Um, where’s Cordelia?”
The warm fuzzies melting away, Buffy looked surprised. “Wasn’t she with you?” she asked, her questioning eyes turning to Willow who shrugged awkwardly, her eyes darting along the tree line.
“She was right behind us when we followed you… wasn’t she?” Willow asked uncertainly on seeing the frown darken into growing anxiety on her friend’s face.
Taking a deep breath, Xander tried to visualize the events of the last half hour or so, then threw out his hands “Okay, most of what happened is a blur- which is pretty much me all over. How about you two?” Silence prevailed as the girls racked their brains.
“I took off after the demon as soon as it ran,” Buffy finally replied. “I kinda lost track after pulling it off her,” she admitted.
“She was leaning against a tree- I saw her then,” Willow recalled. “That was before Buffy ran.” Her eyes widened. “She was checking the bottom of one of her boots. I remember that.”
“Only Cordelia would stop to check out her footwear for damage in the middle of a life and death fight,” Xander commented with a roll of his eyes. “But she was behind us when we went after Buff, yeah?” The thick silence that followed his tentative question had him abruptly spinning on his heel and start to circle the small glade.
Peering fruitlessly through the foliage and darkly shadowed trees, he called out. “Cordelia? Cordy?” When there was no response, He sucked in a harsh breath. “Stop joking around, Cor – or if this is some kind of payback, save it for another time, okay?”
The girls stood rooted to the spot, hoping that, in this case, he was right and Cordelia was playing some kind of sick joke. Buffy mutely watched him, panic slowly taking a grip when no half expected “Gotcha!” or jumping out of the darkness followed his scathing words. She swallowed thickly when he turned to pin the girls with apprehensive eyes.
“Please tell me we didn’t leave her behind.” The sick sensation roiling in his gut tightened into a visceral fist when two pairs of anxious eyes stared back at him.
“There were two, right?” When Buffy frowned in confusion he clarified. “Two of those demons,” muttering “crap!” when her eyes widened in dawning horror. Turning on his heel , he rapidly headed for one of the narrow gaps in the trees.
It took seeing him quickly being swallowed up by the darkness that galvanized Buffy into action. “Wait!” she yelled, catching up with him and grabbing his arm and pulled him round. Instantly he tried to extricate himself from her firm grip.
“She’s alone out there. We haven’t got time to stand around figuring out a game plan.” Panic thickened his voice as he continued to struggle.
Buffy nodded fervently, but still held onto his arm. ”I know, - but the clearing is that way,” jerking a thumb over her shoulder.
****
After discreetly surveying the trio of teenagers slumped around the large table with weary eyes, Giles took a needed moment to collect himself.
When he’d picked up the phone in the early hours and heard not only the tense urgent tone of Buffy, but Xander’s raised, panicky voice in the background his whole body had tensed in dread.
It hadn’t taken a genius to instantly figure out that something had gone wrong. The extent of just how bad churned his gut as he’d listened in stunned silence to her hurried explanation and request that he meet up with them. Luckily, as per norm, he’d remained at the library waiting for their return, so after grabbing his jacket and car keys, quickly locked up and left.
They spent the rest of the night fruitlessly searching for Cordelia.
The earlier discovery of her boots and purse in the clearing by the teenagers was a sign they could have done without, but still they searched in the hope that Cordelia had simply dropped them. The fact that her car remained where they’d left it and her keys were in her purse were doggedly ignored; each inwardly creating scenarios which all ended in Cordelia running to safety on foot.
Dawn was approaching when they finally trudged back to the road. After some thought, Buffy made the decision to drive Cordelia’s car. At first, Xander had refuted the idea, stating almost desperately that if Cordelia made her way back to the road; at least she’d be able to get home.
His pale face averted when Giles wearily pointed out that as they had the keys she wouldn’t be able to get into it anyway.
It didn’t sit well on Buffy. A beautiful car and natural envy of a teen- any other time she’d have loved to drive around in a car like this- but now, all she felt was the weight of the world due to the reasons for doing so.
Xander opted to go with Giles. He obviously couldn’t face getting in his missing ex girlfriends car. Buffy followed behind with Willow accompanying her. The silence had been thick and awkward as both were lost in their own thoughts.
At the time it had crossed her mind that it probably had to be the first time ever that Cordelia’s Corvette had been driven under forty miles an hour.
Giles, with grave eyes and a drawn face, broke the suffocating silence by discussing the missing demon. It was partially to distract, although that went right out of the window considering its probable connection to Cordelia’s disappearance. But the fact of the matter was that the demon was still a threat that needed to be dealt with. And that was, after all, what they did.
Sticking to dry facts, Giles’ voice came out in a flat monotone, beginning with the statement that since the female was dead, the male had to have either left Sunnydale, or gone into hiding. He had a strong suspicion it was the latter- most likely harboring thoughts of vengeance due to losing its long-time mate.
This only emphasized the need to get this discussion out of the way first: being fully prepared for repercussions.
As he went on to talk details regarding a plan of action for the coming night, Buffy’s mind wandered.
After getting back to the clearing and looking around frantically, Willow almost tripped over halfway across the ankle-deep grass. On looking down to see what her foot had caught on, she found one of Cordelia’s boots.
Almost at the same time Buffy spotted the other and went quickly over to pick it up. The heel was missing. Both boots were zipped up which meant Cordelia must have taken them off. No one remembered seeing her, so they’d assumed it had to have been what held her up.
“Maybe she went back to the car!” Willow had commented, trying for an upbeat tone even as a sick feeling grew in her belly.
And leave her boots behind?” Xander replied almost disbelievingly. “Yeah, like that’d happen,” he’d added sourly. It would have been funny under different circumstances.
Buffy shook her head even as she wandered around the clearing checking out every inch of grass. A silver buckle caught her eye and she’d squatted low to get a closer look. A small black patented leather purse was lying across a half hidden log.
She gasped, horrified on seeing the unmistakable spattering of blood on the rotting bark. Fabric brushed her shoulder and she looked to see Xander standing close, his face turning ashen as he stared from the purse to the still- fresh stain.
Although spirits were at an all-time low, one more sweep was made before they’d headed back to the car all the while hoping to find Cordelia leaning against it and for once looking forward to the acidic tone that usually accompanied her words when reaming them out. There had been no sign of her. The car was locked up. Willow stood staring at the driver’s seat while Xander finally found his voice and let off steam, Buffy rang Giles.
The feeding habits that Giles had impressed upon her earlier that night now ran through her mind in gory detail and bitter bile rose in her throat.
“I’m going alone on patrol tonight.” the words burst out of her, causing the first real response since they’d returned to the library tired, shocked and dazed.
A chorus of: “What? No!” “Buffy, you can’t-” and “Maybe it’s for the best,” sounded out instantly.
Xander turned stricken eyes from Buffy to Giles at that last unexpected response. “You’re supposed to be on our side! There’s no way I’m gonna sit back and lose someone else!” he heatedly replied. Shocked silence permeated the already thick atmosphere as the import of his words hit them all.
Buffy abruptly rose to her feet. “Neither am I,” she retorted, voice weary but her expression resolute. When Xander would have argued, she added sharply, “I’m the Slayer, Xander, not you.”
When he visibly flinched at her harsh reminder, she reached out to squeeze his arm with gentle fingers. “Being a Slayer comes with responsibilities, and a large part of it is to protect."
Her voice softened as she stared into his eyes. “You saw how strong that demon was. It’s gonna need everything I’ve got to beat it- and I can’t do that if I’m constantly looking over my shoulder to check on you guys.”
Xander kept eye contact, the need to do something conflicting with realization that Buffy was right. Then he blew out a harsh breath and reluctantly nodded.
****
Cordelia Chase was a restless sleeper.
It was one of two things so far that Angel could have done without discovering right now; especially as the earlier discovery brought to mind thoughts of unending hedonistic delights.
The sheet he’d previously covered her with now lay twisted around her lithe and lush sun kissed body. Cheek resting against the pillow, a handful of silk clutched in the hand resting beneath her chin, covering full pert breasts.
Narrowed eyes helplessly followed the sleek dips and rises, pausing to admire one toned limb that was bent at the knee and drawn up until it lay at right angles to her body. The sheet draped snugly over the other leg that stretched straight and pointed towards the foot of the bed, fabric trapped between shadowed thighs, hiding her secrets from him.
Inwardly, Angel cursed his earlier decision to hinder any kind of attempt made by Cordelia to escape by confiscating every shred of clothing after dropping her onto his bed. At the time it hadn’t even occurred to him that the sight of her youthful yet curvy nude form would stir something that he hadn't felt for nearly two centuries: desire.
The last thing he needed was even more complications.
After quickly covering her with a sheet, he'd backed off and concentrated on moving his own clothes to the bedroom next door. The choice to put Cordelia in his room was simple enough. It was the most secure place in the mansion. Once done with more mundane tasks, Angel had managed to quash licentious thoughts and clean up her minor scratches, taking care not to reveal too much of that tempting golden flesh.
But the sheet had been about as useful as a colander once unconsciousness melted into natural slumber and Cordelia began to toss and turn.
With a frustrated grunt, Angel averted his eyes and rose from the chair next to the bed to turn off the amber tinted lamp that had illuminated her sleeping form in an almost dreamy glow. The ensuing blackness that swamped the room didn’t blind him; preternatural vision for once a curse.
Turning his back on the girl, he headed towards a reading chair that angled towards the door instead. Settling his powerful frame into the comfortable leather cushioning and closed disgruntled eyes hoping to snatch a few hours rest before the occupant of his bed finally awoke and the real fun began.
****
Gruesome images pulled Cordelia from her dreams with a jolt. Her last coherent memory of the demon brought defensive hands up, belatedly fending off the attack, but the pain streaking through her skull had her instantly cradling her head. Eyes squeezed tight, Cordelia sifted through the night’s events.
One thing was certain: she was alive, which meant the demon must be dead. Buffy must have realized they were one person short and came back in the nick of time. “Took her long enough,” she muttered sourly under her breath, gingerly tracing over the swelling that throbbed under her fingers.
A twinge of guilt had her shaking her head, which she immediately regretted as the action caused pain to splinter like shards of glass. Okay, so it would have been preferable if Miss Likes-to-Fight had turned up before she’d been shoved to the ground again. Better late than never.
There were no doubts in her muggy head that the others were okay, too. “Duh, they were with Buffy, go figure…” Her words trailed off as it suddenly occurred to her it was way too quiet.
Where were the others? More importantly, why weren’t they breathing sighs of relief that she was alright- followed by profuse apologies for leaving her high and dry in the first place?
Time to find out. Finally opening her eyes, panic struck as utter blackness remained. Blinking several times in an attempt to clear her vision, Cordelia attempted to control the hysterical cry of “I’m blind!” and opted for taking a deep, calming breath.
Closing her eyes she inwardly counted to ten and attempted to relax- then frowned. Without the ability to see, her other senses kicked in, bringing home that things were definitely not as they should be. It was still too quiet for one, and instead of the cold damp grass and hard-packed earth that should have been under her back she lay on a warm and relatively springy surface.
Running an exploratory hand along it, the frown deepened. Silk? As her underwear drawers were stuffed full of that particular fabric, Cordelia knew the texture by heart. As she personally found silk sheets way too cool and slippery for sleeping on, it was definitely a given that right now she wasn’t in her own bed.
Panic and curiosity hit simultaneously, bringing her rapidly up and into a sitting position, Cordelia stilled just as quickly, her eyes shooting open when the self-same fabric covering her slid down to settle around her hips. Cool air instantly tightened her nipples, and she didn’t need the assistance of vision – or touch to realize she was as naked as the day she was born.
Oh, crap!.
Curiosity was well and truly quashed as the panic swamped with a vengeance. Staring blindly around her, she instinctively went to draw up her legs protectively- the attempted move bringing a jolt of pain that ran from one ankle to knee.
“What the…?” Cordelia froze for a moment before leaning forward and fumbling along the sheet, tugging it towards her. Trembling fingers ran along her leg, then paused. A gasp of fear shot from parted lips on finding a wide strip of fabric tied around her ankle.
Leaning further forward, her fingers found the knot and went on to follow the line of taut fabric that obviously anchored to something. On finding a second, thicker knot attached to cold metal, fear curled tighter in her belly even as her fingers clenched around what felt like a bar of some kind.
Taking a deep breath and determinedly relaxing her fingers, Cordelia tentatively traced its length first down until it met the soft surface she was sitting on, and then up to find another bar connected across the top. It didn’t take much longer to create an image of what she was bound to, and with a horrified gasp she let go and straightened up, her body stiff with dread.
Cast-iron bedsteads weren’t exactly the in-thing for teens right now, so she knew it couldn’t have belonged to one of the others – well, not that she’d actually been in any of the Scooby’s bedrooms. Not even Xander Rat Harris’ Thank God. The reminder of her bitterness toward that particular person lasted less than a second as her immediate predicament swamped everything else.
Frightened eyes darted around, trying desperately to see, seriously doubting that temporary blindness was the reason for the pitch darkness. A stifled sob of frustration wrenched out of a dry throat when all she got for her trouble was threatened eye strain. Desperate fingers instead scrabbled to untie the binding – and then a click sounded out in the darkness. Dazzled, she squinted and blinked rapidly as a low glow to her right appeared.
“Going somewhere?” Her head jerked in the direction of the deep, gravelly voice. An unfamiliar broad back of a man partially obscuring the light sent a cold shiver of dread up her spine. Then he moved to the side, revealing a small lamp before slowly turning to face her.
Shock hit her as she stared up at the familiar pale features and dark eyes that surveyed her expressionlessly.
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