This I Promise You
By Jules
Chapter 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
** A couple weeks later **
Cordelia knocked Richie down on his butt, triumphant, “Yes! Wahoo! I - Kicked – Your - @ss!” She reached
down and pulled him to his feet.
Richie rubbed his tailbone, “I think you broke me.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Oh quit being such a wimp. God, you’re acting just like Xander.”
Richie grabbed his chest, like he’d been stabbed, “Ooh, insult right to the heart. That was a harsh one.” Then
he laughed putting his arm around her, “Ok, what do you want for kicking my @ss.” He’d promised her
anything she wanted if she beat him five out of six.
She gazed at him with her eyes hopeful, “Come with me to Sunnydale, it would be a total bore with out
someone to fight with there. And since Duncan said I'm not supposed to alert anyone to my Immortal status,
it’s not like I can fight or train with anyone around there. I’d like to have one immortal there with me.”
Richie was shocked, “Um, ok! That would be cool. California huh? Hmm, I always wanted to live there!”
They both felt The Buzz and glanced around.
“Mind if I come too?” Adam asked, as he came into the room.
Cordelia’s face lit up, “Really?”
“Yeah! I’ve always wanted to visit the Hellmouth, and a Slayer.” Adam shrugged smiling.
Cordelia ran over and jumped into the arms of the 5000-year-old man whom she’d grown close to over the
past two weeks. They had a lot more in common then Duncan would have thought.
“Thanks guys! You are the best!”
“Plus we’ll teach you how to have fun at night, so no one will catch you killing the bad guys.” Richie
whispered in her ear as Duncan came into the room.
“What’s going on?” he questioned, seeing the secretive looks on his friends faces.
“We’re going to Sunnydale with Cordy.” Richie informed him.
“Oh, well, please call me every now and then and let me know how you are.” Duncan made them promise,
knowing he was going to miss his friends.
“I will. I promise Dunc. You’re stuck with me now, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried MacLeod.”
Cordelia disclosed, grinning.
** Two-day’s later **
** At the airport terminal **
“Take care of her.” Duncan ordered Adam and Richie secretly while Cordelia was at the gift shop, “She’s still
young, and very impulsive. You know how that could be a problem Adam.”
“Don’t worry MacLeod, we’ll protect her. Hell, I’ve even bought a mansion right down the street from her
for Richie and I, so we can be close by. Plus Richie somehow managed to get a job at the High School, I’m not
even going to ask how. And since the mansion is still in the midst of being decorated, we’re staying with her
until her parents come home.” Adam assured Duncan.
Cordelia came up with a book to read on the flight in her hand, plus a little something for Xander.
“Are you guys ready? The plane’s almost ready to board.” she informed them.
“Yeah, we’re ready.” Richie confirmed.
“Good, MacLeod, I’m gonna miss you. Thank you, if you hadn’t found me, I would probably be headless
right now, or locked up in a mental institution.”
“It was nothing. I’m just glad that you’re going to be ok. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me
Cordelia. And remember, never tell anyone what you are, unless is absolutely necessary.” Duncan instructed
her.
The flight to Sunnydale was announced and it was time to leave.
He gave her a card, which meant she had to pick up something at the airport once she was in Sunnydale, “I
won’t MacLeod.” She gave him a quick hug, something totally un-Cordelia like, “I’ll miss you. And I won’t
ever forget what you taught me. Au-revoir mon amí.”
With that she hurried away, so he wouldn’t catch her tears. Adam gave Duncan a quick hug, and then
rushed after her.
Richie hugged his friend too, “I’ll protect her, Mac. You can count on me.” Then he too went through the
door.
** Sunnydale **
** The airport, hours later **
The trio stopped at the pickup desk, where Richie and Adam got their swords. Then Cordelia handed them
the ticket Duncan had given her at the Airport in Paris. Adam and Richie patiently waited with her, a long
case was brought out too her. Cordelia knew better then to open it there, so once they got to her car in the
parking lot, they opened it on the trunk. Inside was a beautiful sword, with an ivory handle with delicate
patterns carved into it.
“Wow.” Was all they could say, it was a very expensive, and meaningful gift. It was obvious that the sword
had been used, but not for a very long time. It was in amazing condition too, for the 300-year-old Crane-head
katana Adam identified it as. [Just to give you a little back ground info, the DragonHead katana was actually created for
the show Highlander. You can buy a sword identical to the one used by Duncan on the show, but it is not a combat weapon.
I invented the Crane-headed katana, because I thought it would be a nice feminine version….**]
“Duncan must have found when he was looking for things for his antique shop, I just hope that the owners
didn’t know what it really was, otherwise he would have spent a fortune on it.” Richie commented.
Cordelia fingered the blade and then silently closed the case. “I miss him already. You know, you spend
practically every single minute of your life with a man for three months, they tend to grow on you, no matter
how tacky their hair cut is.”
Adam put his arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead, “I know you do, Cordy, but you can
talk to him soon.”
Cordelia sighed, nodding her head. She took a deep breath then perked up, “So, what do you guys want to
do? My parents aren’t going to be home for another two weeks from Switzerland, and the house is ours!
School doesn’t start for a week either, so we’ve got seven days and seven nights to fill.”
“Oh, I think we can come up with something.” Richie assured her laughing.
Cordelia had brought home a lot more suitcases of clothes then she’d arrived with, so her trunk and a seat in
the back of her car were full of suitcases.
They all crammed into the car, Richie squeezed in the backseat, next to most of his and Adam’s luggage, since
the rest was being sent there. Because they were moving to Sunnydale everything they owned was being
sent. Adam sat next to Cordelia in the passenger seat.
“So, what exactly do you people do here for fun in Sunnydale Delia?” Adam questioned.
“Oh, well, there’s the Bronze, which is basically the only club in town. It’s about a minute outside of the
good side of town…there isn’t exactly a whole lot of town.” she explained, as they drove down the highway
from LA.
Sunnydale wasn’t big enough to warrant an airfield, let alone and International Airport.
** Right before sunset that night **
Richie and Cordelia were looking through her family’s extensive collection of movies, trying to find a good
one to watch, when Adam sauntered into the room.
“Cordy, how would you like to get some practicing in?” Adam inquired, with a twinkle in his eye.
Cordelia jumped up, actually excited at the prospect, “Ooh! I’ll go change!”
She quickly ran upstairs and got into the stealth look, which she’d grown to really like. Black, now that she’
d thought about it, was a very appealing color.
She put on a short black wrap around skirt and a black spaghetti strap shirt, since it was still summer. She’d
learned how to fight in heels too, so she put on some black 3-inch platforms. She twisted up her hair, and
secured it tightly, to prevent accidental ‘trimmings’. Cordelia pulled on a lightweight, designer, black trench
coat, which went to her mid-thigh, was long enough to conceal the sword, but still short enough to be
fashionable.
Soon she, Adam, and Richie were walking through the cemetery, looking for some live dummies [vamps] to
get some practice in.
They got bored and were soon sitting on some aboveground, symbolic, tomb, with nothing in it, conversing.
“I have to know Richie, how on earth did you get a job at my high school?” Cordelia questioned, leaning
back and swinging her legs.
“I faked a resume, really simple actually. But I’m just going to be a student teacher, easy stuff. It will be nice
to be giving back to a community.”
“Oh please, you’re just doing it just to get a close look at the cheerleaders at the games.” Adam accused
knowingly.
“Who, me?” Richie asked innocently, “That’s not true!”
Cordelia glared at him sternly, “That had better not be true Richie! And Adam, why did you have to say
that?! I’m a cheerleader! Now that’s all I’m going to be thinking about every time I do a high kick.”
“Oops, forgot. I didn’t mean it. And I’m sure that Richie doesn’t plan on doing that.” Adam lied, he knew
that Richie had a crush on Cordelia, and was using every opportunity to give her extremely subtle hints.
All three jumped when a deep voice came up behind them, “It’s not safe to be out around here after dark.” he
warned.
Cordelia stiffened, then hopped off, spinning around to lean on the tomb, which Richie and Adam still sat on,
“I’m very aware of that Angel, but it’s been totally quiet out here so far. No un-dead in sight, well, until
now.”
Angel’s chest constricted at the sight of the beautiful girl, he hadn’t seen her for months and had thought his
feelings had been just a phase that had passed, until now. The moment his eyes laid upon her, it had
happened again.
“Hey Cordelia.” Angel raised his eyebrow, to the two men who had twisted around to see the vampire,
“Hello, I’m Angel.”
“Cool! This is the first time I ever met a real vampire!” Richie exclaimed.
Adam whapped Richie on the head “Shut up you bonehead.” he hissed.
“Cordelia, is there something you’d like to tell me?” Angel posed, wondering why she’d let two strangers in
on his secret.
“Relax Angel, these are my friends Adam Pierson and Richie Ryan. Adam has known about your kind’s
existence for years, and Richie, well, he just overhears things, but don’t let his stupidity fool you, he won’t
tell anyone.” Cordelia promised him, “These dorks live for bloodshed, and we were just really bored. So I was
showing them the old haunts. How were things in Sunnydale while I was gone? Anything happen?”
“No, nothing since before you all went on summer vacation. But things usually are pretty quiet for a while
after a Master is staked. Things should be picking up again very soon. Actually, they’re a little late in getting
back into action, but soon.”
Cordelia mentally chastised her heart for beating so fast just because he was there, but went on like it was not
happening, “Oh, well, it was nice seeing you again Angel. Come on Richie, Adam, we’ll just go change, and
then I’ll take you guys to the Bronze.”
Angel watched the three walked away; Richie and Cordelia arguing.
“But Cordy, it’s a teen hang out!” Richie protested, “I’m their teacher for Pete’s sake!”
“Oh quit whining Richie, you’re not officially a teacher ‘til next Wednesday, besides your only a
<I>student</I> teacher to a <I>GYM</I> teacher. You don’t see Adam here complaining…”
Cordelia’s scolding became unrecognizable.
She was the same Cordelia, but Angel could tell something was different. For one, she had been dressed in all
black, and she possessed a new, ‘air’, to her, something had changed. Angel made of mental note of this in
the back of his mind, but for the time being, shrugged it off as the results of a summer in France.
** Two days later **
Cordelia decided to go patrolling, while Adam and Richie moved some of their things into their new mansion.
They weren’t going to be coming back until around midnight or later, so Cordelia had some time on her
hands.
She put on another short black skirt, a lacy white top with cap sleeves and a white satin ribbon placed at an
empire waistline. One couldn’t allow themselves to wear too much black. Cordelia kept her hair back with
small white headband, which allowed the loose curls she had to flow past her shoulders, but kept them out of
her face. She slipped on a pair of white lacy, lace-up flats, and declared her self dressed.
A few stakes, holy water, and a cross and she was ready to head out.
Cordelia’s thoughts were that she might as well do her part since Buffy hadn’t returned from LA yet. Plus
she needed to work out some tension, and she could only beat the crap out of Richie so many times before it
got old!
~*~
Angel had always been grateful for his times alone. Though during the past few months it had been
practically constant, which had gotten a bit lonely, but it had given him lots of time to think.
He’d been thinking even more ever since he’d seen Cordelia two-days ago. Angel had always been secretly
attracted to her, at the same time he’d been attracted to Buffy. Buffy had caused the feelings first, but Cordelia
made his mind go numb whenever he saw her, or thought of her.
Angel had actually ended up making a list earlier today.
Both were so beautiful, but so different.
Buffy had shoulder length golden blond hair (yeah, bottled blond, but he didn’t really care), she had those
amazing greenish-blue eyes. She was strong, and not just in strength. She had been through a lot as the
slayer. Watched friends be killed, killed friends, given up so many things considered rights of passage for a
teenage girl. He’d really admired her, and grown close to her, but her being the Slayer had really caused a
major strain on their relationship. She’d opened up his heart to love for the first time in over 220 years.
Cordelia on the other hand had very long satiny dark brown hair and hazel eyes that blazed when she was
mad. He knew the others didn’t see it, but Cordelia was smart, and quick, but she was very protective of
herself and hid behind her mask of being a bitch. She didn’t let many people into her heart, or let them even
pierce the armor that she protected herself with. Her heart was pure, true, and loyal though, and it was
waiting for someone to come along to make her see love, so she could open it up for the world to see it’s
beauty. She could be or do anything. The moment Angel had seen her he’d felt feelings stirring in his soul,
unlike anything he’d ever felt, he’d just never let it show. She made him feel…happy! She’d even made him
laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had made him really laugh. She, humanized him….
However, Angel also knew though, getting to close to either girl, wouldn’t be fair to them. Angel had done
his own research in his time alone, and found that he could lose his soul, because of a damn happiness clause
in his curse. Plus there was the whole issue with Buffy, that she was meant to kill his kind. On top of which,
there was the horrible fact, that with either girl, they would both grow old one day, then die, leaving him
behind, with the pain of loneliness once more. He couldn’t allow himself the luxury of happiness, and he’d
have to end any kind of relationship eventually, didn’t he? So he would just make Cordelia unhappy
inevitably….Wait, Cordelia? He’d meant to think ‘either one’, but Cordelia had just popped in his brain.
Then Angel saw her walking towards him, he noticed her lips moving. He hid behind a tree, not wanting to
be spotted by her.
~*~
Cordelia wandered around the graveyard, which was dead quiet. She laughed softly at the thought.
“Of course it’s dead quiet, it’s a graveyard!” an action which caused her to groan, “Oh good, Cordelia. Now
you’re talking to yourself. You are seriously going mental. Basically your first time alone in three months,
and you start talking to yourself.” she sighed, “Oh well, it’s better then all that quiet. I hate quiet, too eerie
for my liking. Hmm, maybe this way I can work my confusing thoughts out. They run around enough in
there on their own, but maybe this will clear them up. First subject, vampires; to start, a handsome one, with
a soul, who knows how to dress… who of course, just like the nut job I am, captured my heart the second I
laid eyes on him. He fills my dreams with visions, and feelings of his cool lips, and fingers all over my body…”
Behind his tree Angel was stunned frozen at her words of her feelings towards him. Before, he’d been
thinking that if he could choose, which he couldn’t, he wasn’t sure which one he would choose….Then she
had come into view. Dressed in black, her long silky dark brown hair cascading down her back in loose curls
which shone under the moon, which was practically full. The tug in his chest, and the tingling on his spine
had made the decision for him, if he could choose. But what was he going to do? It was obvious she was
trying to prevent herself from thinking that way for some reason. God, if he only had his soul permanently,
maybe he could make a decision on what to do about Cordelia, whom he finally realized he was meant for.
As he listened to the secrets spilling from the depths of her psyche, images flashed through his mind of him
touching her hot body, pressing his lips against hers and his tongue exploring the hot inner depths of her
mouth…
Cordelia went on, still unaware of her audience, “Running my fingers through his amazing hair. His strong
hands and arms holding me. Caressing my face.” Her hand unconsciously went up and lightly traced her
cheekbone, as if she could feel his touch. The she stopped, upset, slapping herself on the hand, “Ooh,
Cordelia, you should be ashamed of yourself, you’re not supposed to have such thoughts about him, you
promised yourself.” She reprimanded herself, then giggled at how ridiculous she must sound, “I must be
going crackers. New subject, new un-sexual subject…um, ooh, um…damn, right when I need something, my
mind draws a blank.” She stopped and stood still for a second, “I got it! Various ways to kill evil vamps. The
old fashioned stakes is one of the main ways to kill them…but if you want to torture them first, crosses and
holy water. Now I’m starting to feel bad about the holy water or crosses though, what it must do to their
complexion if you don’t kill them!”
Angel finally snapped out of his fantasies, Hearing that she’d changed the subject, he decided to make his
presence known.
“And I guess fire always will be a good alternative to kill the vampires too…” she mused.
Angel forced a laugh, “Are you planning to kill me anytime soon?”
Cordelia jumped, grabbing a stake, and spun towards his voice, “God, Angel! You are so lucky I looked
before I staked, otherwise you’d be a pile of dust right now!”
“I guess I am.” he told her, his smile disappearing, “What are you doing, alone, in the graveyard so late at
night?”
“I’m just walking, for now. I figured I might as well make sure there weren’t any new vamps coming around,
to run rampant once Buffy came back…” her mouth seemingly had a mind of it’s own, because it blurted out
the true reason she was out, “Ok, I had nothing to do. Adam and Richie won’t be back until after midnight.”
“Cordelia, you shouldn’t be here alone.,” he admonished sternly.
Cordelia’s eyes flashed and looked up with a defiant stare, “I can protect myself perfectly well, thank you,
Angel.”
Angel sighed, “Cordelia, Buffy would stake me if I let anything happen to any of her Slayerettes while I was
on duty. I think your turning into a vampire would qualify as something.”
“Geez, uptight much? Relax Angel. You sound just like Adam! If you weren’t a vampire I’d tell you to cut
down on the caffeine intake!”
Angel just frowned at her, “Come on, I’m taking you home before something happens.”
“Too late.” A new voice informed them.
While they had been arguing, a small group of vampires had snuck up on him.
Cordelia and Angel immediately went back to back, so Angel didn’t see Cordelia’s eyes sparkling in
excitement.
“Damn.” Angel muttered.
“Scared?” Asked one of the painfully obvious new vampires, who was about to attack them.
Angel smiled evilly, “Nope.” he morphed into his demon face and pulled a stake out of his pocket.
Soon, both he and Cordelia had dusted two vamps, each, with three more to go. Now that Angel was facing
her, she high kicked a vamp in the chin, stunning it, then kicked it Angel’s way, where he staked it. One
tried to get away when Angel’s back was turned, so Cordelia threw a stake, like Adam had taught her to do
with knives, and managed to dust him.
Angel looked Cordelia up and down once the fight was over, her hair was a mess, and she had a cut at her
hair line, “That doesn’t look too good. I’d better take you home and bandage that up.”
Cordelia was feeling fine and knew that soon after he taped it, the abrasion would have healed, but followed
him anyway.
She invited him into her mansion, brought a first-aid kit to the dining room table, and pulled out some
antibiotic cream on it, gauze, and tape.
“Have you ever been in love Angel? Are you in love?” Cordelia probed cautiously, as Angel was putting the
antibiotic cream on the wound.
“I might be leaning that way, but I can’t be in love, and she can’t love me, it wouldn’t be fair to her.” he
divulged her, as he gently placed the gauze on her cut and tape it on.
“God, Cryptic Guy rears his head! Care to explain that Soul-boy?” she invited teasingly.
Angel gave a little grimace, because she sounded like Xander, then explained his sad plight to her, “It’s
because of a clause in the curse, which gives me my soul actually. If I experience total happiness, I lose my
soul and become Angelus again, and he’s a mean guy. Trust me, I remember, and he tries to talk me into
things every day. I just wish that my soul were anchored, so I don’t have to worry about hurting those who
I love. If I had my soul, I could finally be happy with someone I love.”
Cordelia felt her heart practically break for the sexy man sitting next to her. It was then she made her vow;
she would get Angel his soul, with no clauses where he could lose it. Then maybe he could be happy with
Buffy. She knew she’d never have a chance with him, but if he was happy, she’d live the rest of her immortal
life knowing that she had done something selfless for once. She bit her lip to keep from crying, realizing that
she’d lose him forever because of this, but knew she had to.
Cordelia swallowed the lump in her throat, “I hope it happens for you one day.” She glanced at the clock and
jumped up, “Oh crap! Angel, you have to get out of here before Adam and Richie come back.”
“They’re coming here?” Angel demanded, jealously stirring up inside of him.
Cordelia was too preoccupied by her own pain to notice the tone of his voice, and answered him distractedly.
“Yeah, they are living with me, since my parents gave all the servants paid vacation, until they come back
next week. It’s lonely here all alone.”
“They left you completely alone?” Angel asked shocked, his jealousy had evaporated, and a new emotion had
taken its place. His entire being was shaking in anger about this mistreatment.
Cordelia just shrugged her shoulders, “It’s not like it’s the first time. And I guess they figure that I’m 16, I
don’t need a babysitter. It’s just that the mansion is so big, and it gets creepy when no one else is
around…not that anyone’s around much when they are ‘home’.” She let slip as she led him to the door.
“Oh…well, good night.” Pained by their parting, he walked away into the darkness, his soul aching for the
obviously neglected teen behind him.
Cordelia followed Angel out the door and whispered to his back, “Good night, Angel, protect the world.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
** You can find more info about the sword and see a picture of it at http://www.swords.com/main.phtml?
WTD=S4
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! If you have any
questions, or anything you’d like to point out, feel free to e-mail me! I always answer questions. And I’m
more inclined to respond back to positive reviews, if there’s a specific scene you enjoyed, or a line you loved. I
like to know what people enjoyed about my writings. A writer is always improving himself or herself.
If you want chapters as soon as they come out, join my mailing list at: http://tv.groups.yahoo.
com/vampirevixen
SO REPLY!
By Jules
Chapter 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
** A couple weeks later **
Cordelia knocked Richie down on his butt, triumphant, “Yes! Wahoo! I - Kicked – Your - @ss!” She reached
down and pulled him to his feet.
Richie rubbed his tailbone, “I think you broke me.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Oh quit being such a wimp. God, you’re acting just like Xander.”
Richie grabbed his chest, like he’d been stabbed, “Ooh, insult right to the heart. That was a harsh one.” Then
he laughed putting his arm around her, “Ok, what do you want for kicking my @ss.” He’d promised her
anything she wanted if she beat him five out of six.
She gazed at him with her eyes hopeful, “Come with me to Sunnydale, it would be a total bore with out
someone to fight with there. And since Duncan said I'm not supposed to alert anyone to my Immortal status,
it’s not like I can fight or train with anyone around there. I’d like to have one immortal there with me.”
Richie was shocked, “Um, ok! That would be cool. California huh? Hmm, I always wanted to live there!”
They both felt The Buzz and glanced around.
“Mind if I come too?” Adam asked, as he came into the room.
Cordelia’s face lit up, “Really?”
“Yeah! I’ve always wanted to visit the Hellmouth, and a Slayer.” Adam shrugged smiling.
Cordelia ran over and jumped into the arms of the 5000-year-old man whom she’d grown close to over the
past two weeks. They had a lot more in common then Duncan would have thought.
“Thanks guys! You are the best!”
“Plus we’ll teach you how to have fun at night, so no one will catch you killing the bad guys.” Richie
whispered in her ear as Duncan came into the room.
“What’s going on?” he questioned, seeing the secretive looks on his friends faces.
“We’re going to Sunnydale with Cordy.” Richie informed him.
“Oh, well, please call me every now and then and let me know how you are.” Duncan made them promise,
knowing he was going to miss his friends.
“I will. I promise Dunc. You’re stuck with me now, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried MacLeod.”
Cordelia disclosed, grinning.
** Two-day’s later **
** At the airport terminal **
“Take care of her.” Duncan ordered Adam and Richie secretly while Cordelia was at the gift shop, “She’s still
young, and very impulsive. You know how that could be a problem Adam.”
“Don’t worry MacLeod, we’ll protect her. Hell, I’ve even bought a mansion right down the street from her
for Richie and I, so we can be close by. Plus Richie somehow managed to get a job at the High School, I’m not
even going to ask how. And since the mansion is still in the midst of being decorated, we’re staying with her
until her parents come home.” Adam assured Duncan.
Cordelia came up with a book to read on the flight in her hand, plus a little something for Xander.
“Are you guys ready? The plane’s almost ready to board.” she informed them.
“Yeah, we’re ready.” Richie confirmed.
“Good, MacLeod, I’m gonna miss you. Thank you, if you hadn’t found me, I would probably be headless
right now, or locked up in a mental institution.”
“It was nothing. I’m just glad that you’re going to be ok. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me
Cordelia. And remember, never tell anyone what you are, unless is absolutely necessary.” Duncan instructed
her.
The flight to Sunnydale was announced and it was time to leave.
He gave her a card, which meant she had to pick up something at the airport once she was in Sunnydale, “I
won’t MacLeod.” She gave him a quick hug, something totally un-Cordelia like, “I’ll miss you. And I won’t
ever forget what you taught me. Au-revoir mon amí.”
With that she hurried away, so he wouldn’t catch her tears. Adam gave Duncan a quick hug, and then
rushed after her.
Richie hugged his friend too, “I’ll protect her, Mac. You can count on me.” Then he too went through the
door.
** Sunnydale **
** The airport, hours later **
The trio stopped at the pickup desk, where Richie and Adam got their swords. Then Cordelia handed them
the ticket Duncan had given her at the Airport in Paris. Adam and Richie patiently waited with her, a long
case was brought out too her. Cordelia knew better then to open it there, so once they got to her car in the
parking lot, they opened it on the trunk. Inside was a beautiful sword, with an ivory handle with delicate
patterns carved into it.
“Wow.” Was all they could say, it was a very expensive, and meaningful gift. It was obvious that the sword
had been used, but not for a very long time. It was in amazing condition too, for the 300-year-old Crane-head
katana Adam identified it as. [Just to give you a little back ground info, the DragonHead katana was actually created for
the show Highlander. You can buy a sword identical to the one used by Duncan on the show, but it is not a combat weapon.
I invented the Crane-headed katana, because I thought it would be a nice feminine version….**]
“Duncan must have found when he was looking for things for his antique shop, I just hope that the owners
didn’t know what it really was, otherwise he would have spent a fortune on it.” Richie commented.
Cordelia fingered the blade and then silently closed the case. “I miss him already. You know, you spend
practically every single minute of your life with a man for three months, they tend to grow on you, no matter
how tacky their hair cut is.”
Adam put his arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead, “I know you do, Cordy, but you can
talk to him soon.”
Cordelia sighed, nodding her head. She took a deep breath then perked up, “So, what do you guys want to
do? My parents aren’t going to be home for another two weeks from Switzerland, and the house is ours!
School doesn’t start for a week either, so we’ve got seven days and seven nights to fill.”
“Oh, I think we can come up with something.” Richie assured her laughing.
Cordelia had brought home a lot more suitcases of clothes then she’d arrived with, so her trunk and a seat in
the back of her car were full of suitcases.
They all crammed into the car, Richie squeezed in the backseat, next to most of his and Adam’s luggage, since
the rest was being sent there. Because they were moving to Sunnydale everything they owned was being
sent. Adam sat next to Cordelia in the passenger seat.
“So, what exactly do you people do here for fun in Sunnydale Delia?” Adam questioned.
“Oh, well, there’s the Bronze, which is basically the only club in town. It’s about a minute outside of the
good side of town…there isn’t exactly a whole lot of town.” she explained, as they drove down the highway
from LA.
Sunnydale wasn’t big enough to warrant an airfield, let alone and International Airport.
** Right before sunset that night **
Richie and Cordelia were looking through her family’s extensive collection of movies, trying to find a good
one to watch, when Adam sauntered into the room.
“Cordy, how would you like to get some practicing in?” Adam inquired, with a twinkle in his eye.
Cordelia jumped up, actually excited at the prospect, “Ooh! I’ll go change!”
She quickly ran upstairs and got into the stealth look, which she’d grown to really like. Black, now that she’
d thought about it, was a very appealing color.
She put on a short black wrap around skirt and a black spaghetti strap shirt, since it was still summer. She’d
learned how to fight in heels too, so she put on some black 3-inch platforms. She twisted up her hair, and
secured it tightly, to prevent accidental ‘trimmings’. Cordelia pulled on a lightweight, designer, black trench
coat, which went to her mid-thigh, was long enough to conceal the sword, but still short enough to be
fashionable.
Soon she, Adam, and Richie were walking through the cemetery, looking for some live dummies [vamps] to
get some practice in.
They got bored and were soon sitting on some aboveground, symbolic, tomb, with nothing in it, conversing.
“I have to know Richie, how on earth did you get a job at my high school?” Cordelia questioned, leaning
back and swinging her legs.
“I faked a resume, really simple actually. But I’m just going to be a student teacher, easy stuff. It will be nice
to be giving back to a community.”
“Oh please, you’re just doing it just to get a close look at the cheerleaders at the games.” Adam accused
knowingly.
“Who, me?” Richie asked innocently, “That’s not true!”
Cordelia glared at him sternly, “That had better not be true Richie! And Adam, why did you have to say
that?! I’m a cheerleader! Now that’s all I’m going to be thinking about every time I do a high kick.”
“Oops, forgot. I didn’t mean it. And I’m sure that Richie doesn’t plan on doing that.” Adam lied, he knew
that Richie had a crush on Cordelia, and was using every opportunity to give her extremely subtle hints.
All three jumped when a deep voice came up behind them, “It’s not safe to be out around here after dark.” he
warned.
Cordelia stiffened, then hopped off, spinning around to lean on the tomb, which Richie and Adam still sat on,
“I’m very aware of that Angel, but it’s been totally quiet out here so far. No un-dead in sight, well, until
now.”
Angel’s chest constricted at the sight of the beautiful girl, he hadn’t seen her for months and had thought his
feelings had been just a phase that had passed, until now. The moment his eyes laid upon her, it had
happened again.
“Hey Cordelia.” Angel raised his eyebrow, to the two men who had twisted around to see the vampire,
“Hello, I’m Angel.”
“Cool! This is the first time I ever met a real vampire!” Richie exclaimed.
Adam whapped Richie on the head “Shut up you bonehead.” he hissed.
“Cordelia, is there something you’d like to tell me?” Angel posed, wondering why she’d let two strangers in
on his secret.
“Relax Angel, these are my friends Adam Pierson and Richie Ryan. Adam has known about your kind’s
existence for years, and Richie, well, he just overhears things, but don’t let his stupidity fool you, he won’t
tell anyone.” Cordelia promised him, “These dorks live for bloodshed, and we were just really bored. So I was
showing them the old haunts. How were things in Sunnydale while I was gone? Anything happen?”
“No, nothing since before you all went on summer vacation. But things usually are pretty quiet for a while
after a Master is staked. Things should be picking up again very soon. Actually, they’re a little late in getting
back into action, but soon.”
Cordelia mentally chastised her heart for beating so fast just because he was there, but went on like it was not
happening, “Oh, well, it was nice seeing you again Angel. Come on Richie, Adam, we’ll just go change, and
then I’ll take you guys to the Bronze.”
Angel watched the three walked away; Richie and Cordelia arguing.
“But Cordy, it’s a teen hang out!” Richie protested, “I’m their teacher for Pete’s sake!”
“Oh quit whining Richie, you’re not officially a teacher ‘til next Wednesday, besides your only a
<I>student</I> teacher to a <I>GYM</I> teacher. You don’t see Adam here complaining…”
Cordelia’s scolding became unrecognizable.
She was the same Cordelia, but Angel could tell something was different. For one, she had been dressed in all
black, and she possessed a new, ‘air’, to her, something had changed. Angel made of mental note of this in
the back of his mind, but for the time being, shrugged it off as the results of a summer in France.
** Two days later **
Cordelia decided to go patrolling, while Adam and Richie moved some of their things into their new mansion.
They weren’t going to be coming back until around midnight or later, so Cordelia had some time on her
hands.
She put on another short black skirt, a lacy white top with cap sleeves and a white satin ribbon placed at an
empire waistline. One couldn’t allow themselves to wear too much black. Cordelia kept her hair back with
small white headband, which allowed the loose curls she had to flow past her shoulders, but kept them out of
her face. She slipped on a pair of white lacy, lace-up flats, and declared her self dressed.
A few stakes, holy water, and a cross and she was ready to head out.
Cordelia’s thoughts were that she might as well do her part since Buffy hadn’t returned from LA yet. Plus
she needed to work out some tension, and she could only beat the crap out of Richie so many times before it
got old!
~*~
Angel had always been grateful for his times alone. Though during the past few months it had been
practically constant, which had gotten a bit lonely, but it had given him lots of time to think.
He’d been thinking even more ever since he’d seen Cordelia two-days ago. Angel had always been secretly
attracted to her, at the same time he’d been attracted to Buffy. Buffy had caused the feelings first, but Cordelia
made his mind go numb whenever he saw her, or thought of her.
Angel had actually ended up making a list earlier today.
Both were so beautiful, but so different.
Buffy had shoulder length golden blond hair (yeah, bottled blond, but he didn’t really care), she had those
amazing greenish-blue eyes. She was strong, and not just in strength. She had been through a lot as the
slayer. Watched friends be killed, killed friends, given up so many things considered rights of passage for a
teenage girl. He’d really admired her, and grown close to her, but her being the Slayer had really caused a
major strain on their relationship. She’d opened up his heart to love for the first time in over 220 years.
Cordelia on the other hand had very long satiny dark brown hair and hazel eyes that blazed when she was
mad. He knew the others didn’t see it, but Cordelia was smart, and quick, but she was very protective of
herself and hid behind her mask of being a bitch. She didn’t let many people into her heart, or let them even
pierce the armor that she protected herself with. Her heart was pure, true, and loyal though, and it was
waiting for someone to come along to make her see love, so she could open it up for the world to see it’s
beauty. She could be or do anything. The moment Angel had seen her he’d felt feelings stirring in his soul,
unlike anything he’d ever felt, he’d just never let it show. She made him feel…happy! She’d even made him
laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had made him really laugh. She, humanized him….
However, Angel also knew though, getting to close to either girl, wouldn’t be fair to them. Angel had done
his own research in his time alone, and found that he could lose his soul, because of a damn happiness clause
in his curse. Plus there was the whole issue with Buffy, that she was meant to kill his kind. On top of which,
there was the horrible fact, that with either girl, they would both grow old one day, then die, leaving him
behind, with the pain of loneliness once more. He couldn’t allow himself the luxury of happiness, and he’d
have to end any kind of relationship eventually, didn’t he? So he would just make Cordelia unhappy
inevitably….Wait, Cordelia? He’d meant to think ‘either one’, but Cordelia had just popped in his brain.
Then Angel saw her walking towards him, he noticed her lips moving. He hid behind a tree, not wanting to
be spotted by her.
~*~
Cordelia wandered around the graveyard, which was dead quiet. She laughed softly at the thought.
“Of course it’s dead quiet, it’s a graveyard!” an action which caused her to groan, “Oh good, Cordelia. Now
you’re talking to yourself. You are seriously going mental. Basically your first time alone in three months,
and you start talking to yourself.” she sighed, “Oh well, it’s better then all that quiet. I hate quiet, too eerie
for my liking. Hmm, maybe this way I can work my confusing thoughts out. They run around enough in
there on their own, but maybe this will clear them up. First subject, vampires; to start, a handsome one, with
a soul, who knows how to dress… who of course, just like the nut job I am, captured my heart the second I
laid eyes on him. He fills my dreams with visions, and feelings of his cool lips, and fingers all over my body…”
Behind his tree Angel was stunned frozen at her words of her feelings towards him. Before, he’d been
thinking that if he could choose, which he couldn’t, he wasn’t sure which one he would choose….Then she
had come into view. Dressed in black, her long silky dark brown hair cascading down her back in loose curls
which shone under the moon, which was practically full. The tug in his chest, and the tingling on his spine
had made the decision for him, if he could choose. But what was he going to do? It was obvious she was
trying to prevent herself from thinking that way for some reason. God, if he only had his soul permanently,
maybe he could make a decision on what to do about Cordelia, whom he finally realized he was meant for.
As he listened to the secrets spilling from the depths of her psyche, images flashed through his mind of him
touching her hot body, pressing his lips against hers and his tongue exploring the hot inner depths of her
mouth…
Cordelia went on, still unaware of her audience, “Running my fingers through his amazing hair. His strong
hands and arms holding me. Caressing my face.” Her hand unconsciously went up and lightly traced her
cheekbone, as if she could feel his touch. The she stopped, upset, slapping herself on the hand, “Ooh,
Cordelia, you should be ashamed of yourself, you’re not supposed to have such thoughts about him, you
promised yourself.” She reprimanded herself, then giggled at how ridiculous she must sound, “I must be
going crackers. New subject, new un-sexual subject…um, ooh, um…damn, right when I need something, my
mind draws a blank.” She stopped and stood still for a second, “I got it! Various ways to kill evil vamps. The
old fashioned stakes is one of the main ways to kill them…but if you want to torture them first, crosses and
holy water. Now I’m starting to feel bad about the holy water or crosses though, what it must do to their
complexion if you don’t kill them!”
Angel finally snapped out of his fantasies, Hearing that she’d changed the subject, he decided to make his
presence known.
“And I guess fire always will be a good alternative to kill the vampires too…” she mused.
Angel forced a laugh, “Are you planning to kill me anytime soon?”
Cordelia jumped, grabbing a stake, and spun towards his voice, “God, Angel! You are so lucky I looked
before I staked, otherwise you’d be a pile of dust right now!”
“I guess I am.” he told her, his smile disappearing, “What are you doing, alone, in the graveyard so late at
night?”
“I’m just walking, for now. I figured I might as well make sure there weren’t any new vamps coming around,
to run rampant once Buffy came back…” her mouth seemingly had a mind of it’s own, because it blurted out
the true reason she was out, “Ok, I had nothing to do. Adam and Richie won’t be back until after midnight.”
“Cordelia, you shouldn’t be here alone.,” he admonished sternly.
Cordelia’s eyes flashed and looked up with a defiant stare, “I can protect myself perfectly well, thank you,
Angel.”
Angel sighed, “Cordelia, Buffy would stake me if I let anything happen to any of her Slayerettes while I was
on duty. I think your turning into a vampire would qualify as something.”
“Geez, uptight much? Relax Angel. You sound just like Adam! If you weren’t a vampire I’d tell you to cut
down on the caffeine intake!”
Angel just frowned at her, “Come on, I’m taking you home before something happens.”
“Too late.” A new voice informed them.
While they had been arguing, a small group of vampires had snuck up on him.
Cordelia and Angel immediately went back to back, so Angel didn’t see Cordelia’s eyes sparkling in
excitement.
“Damn.” Angel muttered.
“Scared?” Asked one of the painfully obvious new vampires, who was about to attack them.
Angel smiled evilly, “Nope.” he morphed into his demon face and pulled a stake out of his pocket.
Soon, both he and Cordelia had dusted two vamps, each, with three more to go. Now that Angel was facing
her, she high kicked a vamp in the chin, stunning it, then kicked it Angel’s way, where he staked it. One
tried to get away when Angel’s back was turned, so Cordelia threw a stake, like Adam had taught her to do
with knives, and managed to dust him.
Angel looked Cordelia up and down once the fight was over, her hair was a mess, and she had a cut at her
hair line, “That doesn’t look too good. I’d better take you home and bandage that up.”
Cordelia was feeling fine and knew that soon after he taped it, the abrasion would have healed, but followed
him anyway.
She invited him into her mansion, brought a first-aid kit to the dining room table, and pulled out some
antibiotic cream on it, gauze, and tape.
“Have you ever been in love Angel? Are you in love?” Cordelia probed cautiously, as Angel was putting the
antibiotic cream on the wound.
“I might be leaning that way, but I can’t be in love, and she can’t love me, it wouldn’t be fair to her.” he
divulged her, as he gently placed the gauze on her cut and tape it on.
“God, Cryptic Guy rears his head! Care to explain that Soul-boy?” she invited teasingly.
Angel gave a little grimace, because she sounded like Xander, then explained his sad plight to her, “It’s
because of a clause in the curse, which gives me my soul actually. If I experience total happiness, I lose my
soul and become Angelus again, and he’s a mean guy. Trust me, I remember, and he tries to talk me into
things every day. I just wish that my soul were anchored, so I don’t have to worry about hurting those who
I love. If I had my soul, I could finally be happy with someone I love.”
Cordelia felt her heart practically break for the sexy man sitting next to her. It was then she made her vow;
she would get Angel his soul, with no clauses where he could lose it. Then maybe he could be happy with
Buffy. She knew she’d never have a chance with him, but if he was happy, she’d live the rest of her immortal
life knowing that she had done something selfless for once. She bit her lip to keep from crying, realizing that
she’d lose him forever because of this, but knew she had to.
Cordelia swallowed the lump in her throat, “I hope it happens for you one day.” She glanced at the clock and
jumped up, “Oh crap! Angel, you have to get out of here before Adam and Richie come back.”
“They’re coming here?” Angel demanded, jealously stirring up inside of him.
Cordelia was too preoccupied by her own pain to notice the tone of his voice, and answered him distractedly.
“Yeah, they are living with me, since my parents gave all the servants paid vacation, until they come back
next week. It’s lonely here all alone.”
“They left you completely alone?” Angel asked shocked, his jealousy had evaporated, and a new emotion had
taken its place. His entire being was shaking in anger about this mistreatment.
Cordelia just shrugged her shoulders, “It’s not like it’s the first time. And I guess they figure that I’m 16, I
don’t need a babysitter. It’s just that the mansion is so big, and it gets creepy when no one else is
around…not that anyone’s around much when they are ‘home’.” She let slip as she led him to the door.
“Oh…well, good night.” Pained by their parting, he walked away into the darkness, his soul aching for the
obviously neglected teen behind him.
Cordelia followed Angel out the door and whispered to his back, “Good night, Angel, protect the world.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
** You can find more info about the sword and see a picture of it at http://www.swords.com/main.phtml?
WTD=S4
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