Patching things up (Cordy, Wes)

[Lovely]

Name: Cordelia Chase Alias: Cordy, Queen C Likeness: Charisma Carpenter Played By: Lovely

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Name: Wesley Wyndham Price Alias: Wes Likeness: Alexis Desinof Played By: Tripp

[Lovely]

April 3, 2009
Los Angeles

There was plenty of doubt, many rumors, fear, worry and speculation but what there was little of was proof to what was really going on. Cordelia and Wesley were left alone in the offices, discussing things and trying to make some sort of sense out of everything. Cordy was distracted for a moment by noticing how tall Wesley actually was, since she was wearing heels. it was completely trivial and she blinked herself back to the so called important things. "So.. you and me.. and Fred and Gunn too of course.. should we go out on our own or continue as part of Angel still?" She asked the question that had been lingering for days but no one else had voiced directly.

"Maybe we should consider forming our own team. This could be a period of Angel reverting back to his evil ways.. becoming Angelus again or he may just be gone. He's been missing for long enough now for both to be a concern."

Cordelia bounced with a little giggle and clap of her hands, excited at the idea of them forming their own group. "Yay!" She realized immediately how awful that sounded and she gave a small nervous chuckle. "Not on evil part but on our own gig.."

"Right

"Soo still in L.A. or should we relocate like to Oklahoma.. you know if Angel is evil, I'm up for Siberia."

"Someplace where he isn't likely to be? cold won't kill him, just slow him down."

"It would also slow us down.. " She reasoned quietly. "Okay well I'm moving.. cause I definitely invited him into my place. We're so screwed.."

"Cordelia, listen to me. Angel-gone-evil... there's really not a safe place to hide. If he doesn't revert, if his soul doesn't save him, we may..." Wesley's hand reached for her shoulder but dropped listlessly to his side. What... kill him? Kill Angel? A darkened evil creature with how many more behind him? "We're not 'screwed', we're just in need of a plan, that's all."

"Great, you have one?" She gave a forced happy and hopeful smile that just maybe he did have a plan. "I have one.. running.. and I think we should start right now.." She looked past Wesley's should and reached for the hand he'd dropped to his side. "Right now!"

"In those shoes? And run where? So you're not going home, and Siberia is a bit extreme which leaves... well, several places really. Any place we go will have Wolfram and Hart's thumbprint etched neatly, however. We start running, we'll need to keep running. There has to be a way. Maybe some place just to buy us some time - though it could take weeks."

"Wesley!.. I mean literally running right now!" Her eyes widened a bit and she tugged at his hand, trying to get the hint across to him to . "Move!" She yanked his hand now and grabbed the crossbow off the counter.

The urgency and implication became suddenly clear and Wesley dodged her and the crossbow, going for the next nearest item he could find.. besides a chair. "Cordelia, I... right... running, but first things first." What she guarded against surely had a name and as soon as he identified it, he would know how best to kill it.

"Wesley.. hurry." She spoke more softly as the ..thing came into better view now that Wesley had moved. "I think I need a bigger bow.." She joked and gave a nervous laugh, even giving a little wave to the unidentified demon. "So.. hi!" She took a slow step back wondering if the bow would even effect this thing. "Hey Wes, while you're over there could you hand me an axe?"

"You mean this axe? No. You keep the bow and slow it down," he said, gathering the axe for himself and the book he needed in the other hand, balancing them both as he flipped a page. He glanced up, worried about how close it was to her. "Just don't let it spit on you.... or drool. Poisonous... of course," he shrugged. He gleaned what he needed and put the book down for the moment to aid her with dispatching the thing. "Having it bleed on us isn't an exceptionally good idea either."

"Oh great.. I love poisonous bodily fluids, it's like demon slime that keeps on giving." She sighed and took another step back, shuffling around a fallen chair, keeping her eyes on the demon. "So any ideas on how to kill it without getting bloody?" She asked, eyeing the beast warily. "It doesn't move very fast.. we could probably outrun it."

"Back to running? Alright," he gathered the book and a satchel by the counter. "Given that's it's only two of us against it, blood, spit... did I mention fire?" He gave her a squeamishly displeased look of apology. "Now," he nodded, kicking the chair toward the creature for whatever good it would do to startle it, confuse it, trip it or whatever.

"It seems to be the most logical plan for survival Aah!" She startled when he kicked the chair, watching as it angered the creature and the arm singed. "Okay.." She was pulling his arm and running for the door. "I really hope you drove in today!"

"Your bag," he reminded her, pointing it out as they tried to outstep the thing. "Hopefully it gets bored and doesn't wait up. I can't drive to Siberia," he added, suddenly concerned about where they could or should go. Heading out aimlessly from the city could be just as deadly as staying. "North. Redding, maybe into Oregon. Up the coast, not the desert, agreed?"

She leaned around to grab her bag, pulling it to her and darting out of the way with a yelp as the thing spit at her. She spun and let an arrow fly toward it's shoulder, hoping it slowed down. "Good, right.. no desert.. Let's just go!" She started for the door again. "We can talk about it in the car, on the way!"

[Lovely]

April 4, 2009
mid-morning

"I made you some tea." Cordelia's voice came from behind him as she came slowly up beside his desk, warm cup in her hands. There was a bandage on her neck near her collar bone and bruises on her neck and her cheek, along with a small cut, but the swelling had gone down. She gave Wes a small smile, holding out the cup to him. "Your eyes might fall out of your head if you don't take a small break."

"Break...? No.. it dissolves its victims with venomous secretions..," Wesley muttered, reading thoroughly over the page, thinking he'd heard her ask about the creature he was studying, not talking about himself. The movement made him look up. He'd forgotten many things, including his guest and he smiled a little, apologetic. "Tea? Thank you. Someone's eyes fell out? When?"

"Definitely time for a break.. you a break from the books. Come on, away from them." She shooed at him with one hand to move and smiled a little brighter in return of the smile he gave her. "What disolves it's victims with venomous secretions? That doesn't sound like fun."

"I'd tell you, but speaking its name in a room with corners summons it. It would only be safe to speak of in a hamster ball," Wesley chuckled and shook his head, pushing the book closed. "Nonsense, mostly, but I'm sure there's enough truth in it to be concerned. Did you find the paper this morning?"

"Was I supposed to look for the paper? I suffered a blow to the head and I'm afraid I have selective amnesia.. I may have gotten the paper and not remember to tell you where it is." She pointed to the folded edition on the coffee table. "I don't think you really want to read it anyway.."

"No," he shook his head. That wasn't what he'd meant at all. "I was curious if you'd seen it - it wasn't a mission or chore. Thank you. You may need this more than me. How's the pain?" He held the tea in case she wanted to drink it herself.

"I didn't mean it like that either.. lighten up a little.. believe me you'll feel heavy enough after you read the paper." She sighed and shook her head at the tea, running her fingers lightly over the bruises. "I'll live which is more than I can say for the girl on the front page.. who looks disturbingly similar to me."

Wesley winced. Cordelia likely would agree, given her condition, but was it safe to assume? "Angel?" He took the tea back and took a sip. He looked at the paper as he turned it on the table to glance before opting to pick it up. "I'd like to think it's not, but if not, then we still have a problem."

"The puncture wounds on her neck and the extreme loss of blood are pretty convincing that it was Angelus.. Angel wouldn't do this.. he wouldn't have tried to.. he wouldn't have attacked me like he did." She felt herself choke up a little and she tried to brush it off, forcing her smile back out. "We have mutiple problems Wesley.. the first being me in your clothes.." She tried to tease, motioning to her current attire, which consisted of mostly his clothes that she'd had to make due with for the night since they couldn't exactly stop and pick anything at the time. A button down shirt and boxers was what she'd pilfered to 'hang out' in until it was safe to at least get some things from her apartment.

Wesley stared blankly, not understanding why that was a problem. "There's not a thing wrong with that outfit," he offered, noting the pleasant length of leg beneath the manly clothing. It was apparent though that she was uncomfortable enough as it was. "Something familiar would likely help you rest. It looks like a clear day in the forecast.. he's still a vampire. We should be alright getting some of your things during the brightest part of the day."

Cordelia laughed softly at his first comment and tugged at the hem of the shirt a little. "Yeah.. maybe I'll keep the outfit.. it is comfortable, just not something I'd wear out.." She glanced to the window, seeing the sun shining brightly which was a pleasant sight.

[Lovely]

May 17, 2009
1:23am
Railyard//Warehouse

Cordelia Chase crept through the dirty abandoned railyard in her ever so stylish pumps, and classically attractive outfit which she wore with a certain confidence despite it seeming out of place with where she was and what she was doing. Well, she hadn't had time to change when Wesley rushed them off in a frazzle. The only real problem she had was trying to figure out which demon to protect and which to attack. She was pretty sure at the moment she was protecting the right one from the other less respectable one.

Cordy sighed as they snuck around, looking for Wesley, she heard a noise as of someone sneaking, it wasn't a heavy enough movement to be the other demon and so she expected to find Wesley as she came around the corner. Instead she came face to face.. well crossbow to face with 'Mr. 'tude' in leather' as she'd dubbed him within the few startled moments which followed. She didn't know what to do for half a second but didn't lower her guard or the bow, looking him over as he stood there a few feet away from her. "It's a nice jacket.. I'll be careful not to put a hole in it." She quipped, wondering what this guy was doing here, he did look as surprised to see her as she was to see him.

"Thanks... Are you going to put that down? Cuz it could get a little crazy," he smiled, hands out, looking helpless. He was just here in the warehouse.. on business.. and minding his own business... until he heard something on this side only to come around the corner at the wrong time. Who was nuts enough to be out here... in heels? Oh geezus, probably just a lame hooker.. with really nice legs he noted, on the way up in the once-over. Though.. hookers usually didn't carry crossbows. He shrugged and thought the next best thing... gotta be a demon... yup.

"I think it already is a little crazy.. you should go home.. or back to whatever tour bus you fell off of.." Her eyes rolled over him and she bit her lip, daaaaamn! She kept a firm grip on the bow and her eyes on him, the demon.. what was it called again? Something only Wesley could pronounce properly, moved behind her and she shifted to stay between it and this man, at least she hoped he was a man. "Stay back." She warned the demon, her eyes on Dean. "Stay behind me and everything will be fine.."

"Stay back? I didn't move." Hopefully she wasn't trigger happy, too. Sure, everything will be fine. Yeah, she had the crossbow... "You need that to be convincing? What's fine about carrying something like that in a place like this? I'm not convinced 'fine' is the word you're looking for lady."

She growled softly and sighed, rolling her eyes a little. "Not you.. the de.. the person I am protecting from.. the bad guys.." Damn it that just sounded stupid! "Oh whatever! I don't care if I upset your delicate senses of the unknown or if you think I'm a fruit! I am protecting a 'good' demon right now.. and you're in the way of me getting him.. her.. it.. I don't know what gender it is.. getting it out of here safely. Okay? Ok.. You need to be elsewhere." She gestured at Dean this time indicating she was meaning he needed to go. Behind her the demon shuffled out of the shadows and into a better view.

"You're kidding me," he perked up, ready to laugh and be that much more worried. Great, just what they needed... an underground rail runner for demons? "Yeah, well look, I don't buy it," he started, then the creature came into better view. Whoa. He glanced around a little.. no Sam. "Cuz I'm here after something that actually looks and acts like a demon. Not that you don't," he explained to the creature, hands up still, playing stupid. "Just, I had something a little more bad-ass in mind, so if you'll just excuse me..." He could try and get past them and hope Sam would help corral them both.

"Uh uh.. go the other way. I'm not stupid enough to let you get behind me. You're probably the other demon I'm protecting this one from.. knowing my luck you're vile and evil in a fine package." She motioned with the crossbow that he needed to back up. "This isn't the dark demon overlord of all things chaotic, bloody and gross that you're looking for... now move." She gave him a small 'do it now' kind of smile.

Well she did have it half-right. Dean smiled back, taking the compliment, but leaving the rest that he still wasn't buying and deciding to go back the direction she wanted him to anyway. That was the same direction she was trying to go and he had to admit as far as bait... wow. "Yeah right, sister. And Howard the Duck was a blockbuster hit."

She felt the small chuckle come out before she could stop it and she stepped slowly towards him, 'guiding' him to keep going with the threat of a good aim and sharp arrows. "Well at least you have wit on your side.. move it along.." She glanced back toward the demon as it followed them, but quickly brought her gaze back to the man in front of them, feeling the need to keep her sights on him and not just because he was nicer to look at.

"That's not my good side, though...," he chuckled, stopping to create a distraction with ... something.... ".. Shit," he muttered, patting his pockets.. empty. Nothing he had to throw or stall them with at the moment save for something up his sleeve. No time like now to get a little help. "SAM!!!!" God he better be in short range or this wasn't going to last very long. If she wasn't a demon, he kinda wanted to take his time with her.

Her finger hit the trigger and her aim was right on, if he hadn't moved just the right way, her arrow hit about an inch in front of his face as he turned. "Who's Sam?" Cordy took a step closer, pulling her cell out of her pocket to "Oh crap!"..she dropped it and chuckled nervously. "Well then.. I guess.. WESLEY!" She screamed for him, hoping he'd get his butt there quick before whoever Sam was showed up to kick her ass. She waited a moment and didn't hear anything from Wes. "No one is coming.. figures. Men are never around when you really need them!"

Dean stopped dead, looking at the bolt in the wall. Okay, she wants to play it that way? He pulled it out as a temporary protective weapon and hit the release, dropping the concealed blade in his sleeve to his hand. "Who's Wesley?" He replied with a snarky grin, diving at her to throw her off track and dodge around her.

"Hey!" He wasn't supposed to do that. She grunted as he threw himself into her, the bow went flying with a clatter to the ground where she couldn't reach it right now.The glint of metal caught her eye and she grabbed at his wrist to hold his hand away, her other elbow heading for the side of his face.

"Dean?" Sam came around the side of the abandoned rail car and saw the scuffle his brother was having with a.. rather pretty girl who wasn't swooning over him. "I don't think she's the demon!"

Caught, his hand dropped the bolt, but the other flashed back with the not-so-hidden blade. "Tell that to her! See, that's the thing about sidekicks... they gotta be dependable." He grinned again and tried to twist her around to hold her still. "You really don't want to damage this face."

"Oh I really do!" She was breathing heavy as he caught her and pulled her around, attempting to hit him with anything she can before he can get ahold of her fully.

Sam didn't feel as though he should jump in just yet and was content, alright very amused to watch them. He sort of smirked watching them, but also glancing around for the 'real' demon which was nowhere in sight as it had skittered off while his brother and this girl were struggling.

"Just take it easy, alright? You're not the demon and neither are we. Sammy, did you find anything?" Tries to keep tabs on both of her hands to hold her back, but not hurt her, yet.

"Of course I'm not the demon! Do I look like I'm the king of slimey slug demon things??" Cordy slammed the heel of her shoe into the top of his foot.

"If I had found it yet, would I be standing here.. being very entertained." Sam smiled a little and looked over the fiesty girl. "You have such a way with the ladies Dean, what you're usual charms didn't work?"

He grimaced only slightly at the pain that bolted up his leg... like a muthe-... "She's charmed enough, Sammy. Looks like we're babysitting for a bit while shirley temple here finishes her little song and dance. Let's go. That thing's in here someone. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."

Did he just say babysitting?? Her eyes narrowed and she brought her head up in a sudden a sharp movement -meaning to slam into his face. "Shirley Temple?? Oh god.. my hair is.. I knew I shouldn't have trusted that hairdresser!"

Her head clocked his jaw slightly and he shoved, trying to keep hold and keep from getting his nose broken. "Got more things to worry about than your hair. I'm assuming your sidekick is around close? When was the last time you saw him? If you're after the same thing we are, I don't think it's a good idea to leave him alone, do you?"

She huffed and grew still, then gave her winning yet sarcastic smile. "I'm sure if Wesley were in trouble, we'd all hear him screaming like a frightened school girl." She tried to yank away from him again. "Besides.. we're not after the same demon."

"How can you be so sure?" Sam was still trying not to laugh as he watched Dean have his hands full of the girl.

A loud clatter of a load being released from its crane thundered a row or two over, echoing off the hollow metal shells all around them. Running footsteps and a whistle followed.

"Couldn't be the same one, you're right," Dean agreed, giving Sam a glance as the sounds were heard. "She couldn't handle what we're after." He was getting a pretty good idea how much of a lie that was and hoped he didn't regret priming her reaction.

She laughed, sarcastic sounding and let it fall flat. Watching as Sam gave a slight nod to Dean and moved off to check on the sounds they had heard. "Right.. cause whatever you're after is worse than what little ole me has seen." With that she planted her foot, brought her elbow back and went down and forward in a move she hoped would throw him or at least dislodge her enough that she could get away from him. "Aww looks like your side kick left you all alone." Her eyes caught sight of where her bag had been dropped when she'd heard him coming and had tried to hide.

He doubled from the impact, but had been mostly ready for it, except that being winded part. In the moment it was knocked from him with her elbow, he let her go and took off after his brother. If she was serious, she'd follow or if she was smarter, she'd get the hell out.

"Hey.. where are you going?" She stood there a moment, offended that he didn't think she was the better thing to pay attention to. "Like I said.. men.." She gathered up her bow and her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder as she headed around the rail car from the other side. She decided the crossbow was not efficent here and rummaged to find a couple knives that were easier to keep handy and pull to hand if she needed them quickly.

*******************
2:37am
A closed bar

The railyard ended up being a bust of sorts.. Cordelia was aggrivated by it, but there was nothing they could do but track and investigate and hope to find out what was going on with this bar they'd been hired to "despook", the first leads with the two demons at the railyard had not ended with the finality they had hoped for. Case was not closed even if the one demon had been destroyed. As they slipped into the bar from the front, she could hear movement and someone coming in through the side window. She got ready to defend or attack or scream if needed and watched until something started climbing in.

Once Sam's knife cleared the latch and he pulled open the window, a beam of filtered light swabbed the floor, Dean climbing in behind it, gun propped above the flashlight and stepping carefully with Sam right behind him. "Shhh shhh...," he stopped suddenly, waving Sam to stop as well, letting him sweep the doorway across from them with the light when he thought he saw something there in the shadows.

Sam was right on Dean's heels so to speak as they climbed through the window into the old pub, he came to a stop at his brother's signal and let his light sweep the shadows where Dean gestured. To his surprise he saw the pretty girl who'd given Dean a fight at the railyard standing there. "Uh.. Dean..?" He nodded, sure Dean would see what he did.

Cordy was able to see Dean from where she stood before he saw her, but that didn't help her when Sam shone his flashlight on her face. She squinted and kept her bow low, she'd be able to shoot but looked more defensive in her stance then aggressive. "You.." She almost pouted as she looked directly at the older brother.

Dean wasn't sure whether to be surprised or p-o-'ed. He looked up at Sam and back at her... he didn't believe it either way. "You...??"

"Cordy you know these guys?" Fred's Texas twang came from behind the bar where she'd been hiding as she peeked up over the edge.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you mess up our investigation enough back there?" Cordy whispered to the boys, mostly Dean as she lowered the cross bow so it wasn't pointed at them at all. "Yes me.. here.. you shouldn't be!" She waved at Fred as if to say I'll tell you later.

"Investigation? Dean?" Sam looked at his brother again, with a frown wondering what he knew about all this.

Dean shrugged, giving him a 'da hell should I know?' look, pulling his expression into a half frown. He wasn't exactly disappointed they were here, but they could get in the way. "Amateurs," he mumbled about the girls and their 'official' investigation.

"Soo you know her... she knows you... hugs all around!" The voice was booming, electric and friendly, coming from the side doorway.

"Lorne!!" Both girls said in unison, wide eyes and smiles, and giggles. "Oh my gosh.. Lorne! What are you doing here?" Cordy set her bow down and was heading to give him a big hug.

Fred was bouncing with her special kind of excitement as she hurried around the bar to also come and give their green friend a hug. "Lorne.. wow.."

Sam was dumbfounded and his mouth opened, but he didn't have words as he first took in the man with horns -obviously a demon! and then the girls adoring reactions to him. "Dean.. " He just gestured at the display, he no explaination.

"Who the hell are you?" Fine, he said it for the both of them. Dean's gun was still aimed with the light, wondering if either one was going to be very effective on this green thing with the horns.

He put his arm up to keep from being blinded and grimaced. "Girls, please, tell him to put that away. It won't do him any good here - you know the rules. No violence," he said as if shaking a finger at the young... poorly dressed.. man that was threatening him and the girls at the moment. He gladly returned the hug... both girls equally adored in return. "Or does he know he's threatening the "queen"?"

"The queen?" Fred asked after giving Lorne a kiss on the cheek, delighted to see him again. "I missed you so much, I'm awful glad you're here.. what are you doing here?"

Sam cocked his head to the side, watching the girls and the green man and then his brother. "Rules?" He was confused. "Who are you?" He repeated Dean's question but in a more curious way.

Cordy gave Lorne a kiss to his other cheek and whispered. "So the anti violence spell is in place already.. good." She pulled away with a smile and turned toward the brothers. "This is Lorne. The rules are there is no violence permitted in his place.. demon.. or human.." She gave a small laugh and flashed her smile at Lorne as if to say sorry, cause that's our fault.

Dean raised both eyebrows that immediately knotted back up again. Great, they were hosed if this thing decided to try to slaughter them all right now. He wondered if 'dinner time' meant the same thing as violence in this guy's estimation. The girls liked him and he'd only met the one that he already knew his face didn't like. In the dim light, the gray and purple ring in the shape of Cordelia's head wasn't visible at least. "Okay, so he's Lorne and you asked him a question. What... is he doing -here-?"

"Probably getting everything ready to open for business." Cordy answered in her simple matter of fact way. "Lorne owned a bar.. and it got a little bit destroyed a few times. Looks to me like he relocated.. I'm not singing." The last was said with a half turn and a smile at their friend.

"Don't worry, dollface, I'll do the singing tonight. My cousin.. a simple little ifrite with too many properties he acquired in ... well let's just say he put a new meaning in 'fire sale'... had this one sitting here waiting for me." He giggled a little at his joke whether the others got it or not. "So, we're not open yet, but come up and have a drink on the house. Don't mind me, I'm just getting things ready. Help yourselves."

"Dollface? Psh... yeah, she's an absolute angel," Dean scoffed. This guy seemed a little light in the ... hooves.. as if the demon part wasn't disconcerting enough.

She laughed at his joke, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she giggled ."Oh goody!" Fred bounced and twirled away from Lorne, skipping off to introduce herself to the boys. "Hi y'all." She gave a wave even though she stood right in front of them. "I'm Winifred Burkle.. you can call me Fred though.. It's nice to meet you. So you all are friends with our Cordy, huh?"

Cordy just gave Dean a cool look and moved toward the bar, at least she could get a water or something for herself. As she moved she caught the shadow of the bruise on his face, it made her chuckle a little as she forgot about the water and sat down on a stool at the bar. "Do you need any help Lorne?"

Sam looked to Dean and to Lorne, then to Cordy and finally to the bubbly girl who bounced in front of them. "Hey.. nice to meet you." He was really thinking maybe he'd just lost his mind.. this was.. he'd seen alot of things in his life and this was weird even to him!

"Friends? Um.. nah, we just came for the triscuits. Dean.. this is Sam," he smiled, finding it strange that he gave their real names without a second thought... now why did he do that? He gave Sam another look and nodded toward the bar. "We're gonna need this."

"Of course they're friends, Fred. We're all friends here, aren't we? Listen, sugarplum," Lorne slid up by the leather-clad doubting-thomas and tried to set the record straight in the way only Lorne could, sliding his arm around the boy in a most friendly manner. He smiled through the blood-red slice of mouth. "In my place, you enjoy yourselves. So please... enjoy." It wasn't just a fact but also a bit of a warning not to cause trouble, especially when he hadn't even opened for paying customers yet. "Thanks for the offer sweetcakes, but don't worry your pretty head, I've got everything taken care of. Just sit down and relax yourselves."

Fred giggled at what Dean said, shaking her head a bit. "Aww you're funny. He's funny." She pointed that out to Sam with a smile as she twisted and squirmed in her cute 'can't stay still' way before she bounced off to check out what Lorne had done in the place so far.

Cordy watch as Fred giggled and flirted and Lorne got friendly with Dean, now if only Wes was there to enjoy it all. "I don't know Lorne, sit down, relax.. that's a pretty tall order. I don't know if I can do that.." She was half joking at least but she'd been wound up pretty tight with everything that went down recently.

Cordy sort of snickered as she saw that Lorne and Sam were sitting down to talk philosophy and law... while Dean 'sucked it up' with his beer, nursing his shiner from the back of Cordy's head. She looked at Dean again and sighed, getting up and moving around the back of the bar. "You want me to find and ice pack for your face?" She found one and set it down on the bar so he could take it if he wanted.

"Before or after kissing it better?" He winked at her. "No hard feelings right?"

"I can give you a matching set.." She winked back.

He quietly seethed, interested but backed off. "Oooooo see.. that's not nice."

"Now why would you ever think a girl with a crossbow is nice? .. silly boy."

"My kinda date..."

"It's not a date until the guy spends money."

"How much does another ice pack cost?"

"Probably more than you have." She gingerly took off her button down shirt, trying to see the bruise she had on her shoulder from wrestling around with him.

"You take plastic?"

"all forms."

"sweet... how about another round, huh?"

Cordy dropped her shirt over the bar, shifting the strap of her tank off a tender spot. and went to get him another ice pack and another beer. As she comes back around she sets them in front of him "You better be a good tipper." She teased, reaching up to let her hair down and repin it up.

"Oh, I'm a good tipper," he agreed, watching her hair twist in her fingers. "Sam, give me some change."

The clip secured in place and she just gave him a look about the change comment that said he'd eat the change if he thought that was all she was worth.

"Dean.." Sam gives him a look and waves him off, going back to the more interesting and intelligent conversation with the green, horned man.

She picks his beer and his ice pack up off the bar with a smirk and claims them as her own as she sits down on the stool.

He taps the bar with the card that says Simon Jones on it. "Hey... a paying customer here." He sighs and pulls up a chair next to her.

She holds the beer out of reach with a teasing smile. "See if this -was- a date I wouldn't be waiting on you.. you'd buy me drinks.. and I don't work here anyway."

"Shit... Well who does work here, anybody?" Hops over the counter and starts helping himself like she did.

He got her to laugh, which she hadn't really done since the last big battle. She missed Angel.. "I don't think they're actually open yet.." She turned to watch him, what a view.. She remembered the ice pack and brought it up to press against her shoulder, wincing a little.

"Customers are customers," he rattled, wiping out a glass with his sleeve and trying the draft to see if it was tapped yet. "Yeah baby, that's what it's all about," he smiled, happy as a clam that he was getting a cold one. Not as cold as the girl at the table, but he'd get over it. "Sorry about your arm. How's it doing?"

She gave him a winning Cordelia smile.. the one that lit up a room and made her eyes dance. "I think I'm going to live.. I've had worse, it's alright.. I'm.. sorry.. about your face."

"Had worse," he nodded back with a shrug. Sure it hurt, but it wasn't likely to leave a scar. Then he'd be upset. "The bolt missed, nobody got really banged up this time, it's all good. Nothing like a good brawl to get to know one another, right?"

Her chuckle was soft and she was nodding, thinking about too many things at once. "Right.. you know I know lots of stuff about you now.. like what you think of my hair.." She teased him about the comment he'd made earlier, calling her shirley temple.

"I didn't mean it like it was a bad thing," he frowned. "It might get in your way in a real demon fight is all. They like to set things on fire you know." It was only a half-hearted warning Dean sipped his beer and leaned back with an arm over the chair, checking the place out.

"Mmm thats why I wear it up.. but you know the length of your hair doesn't matter when they try to hack you into little pieces or blow the place up."

"Very true. I take it you get that a lot," he smirked over his drink. "We try not to be that conspicuous... usually. Shut up Sammy."

"Remind me not to come to California again unless I'm locked and loaded. I like the midwest, personally. At least out there we can tell the difference between a band of demons and Friday night party at the Viper room."

"You're like a cross between dirty harry and clark kent.. I'm not sure whether I should feel lucky or look for a phone booth and a damsel in distress." She grinned at him, she liked that he was straight forward and didn't seem to pull punches... he kind of reminded her of someone with his sarcasm and comments but she wasn't sure who.

"Phone booths aren't so bad," he teased. "Nice and cozy with the right company. Ain't that right, Sammy? Sam? *fwwweeet* Sam. C'mon over here and be social. It's impolite to turn your back on a lady."

"Dean you're not a lady.. even if the pretty girl lets you borrow her shoes.. I'm talking to Lorne. You're a big boy.. I'm sure you can handle the little lady.." He smiled at Cordelia, wondering why he felt almost akin to her even though he didn't know her. "Go easy on him will you? He's very sensitive.. I hate when he cries."

Cordy laughed again and finally picked up the beer to take a drink of it, only a sip though.

"b*tch," he muttered under his breath into the remaining foam on his glass. He was still in good spirits at least. "Guess that means you're stuck with me. They got any food around here?"

"Jerk." Sam mumbled out of the side of his mouth, turning back to his own conversation again.

"I don't know.. we may have to forage elsewhere to find something we'd eat." She looked at her beer and set the bottle down, she just couldn't stomach it at the moment. "You're not going to try to hack me into little pieces or blow me up are you?"

"Not today. So let me understand this. This is demon beer, but they don't eat real food? Heh, at least they got it half right. Where'd you have in mind to forage? I'm not the berries and seeds kinda guy."

"Demon beer? No that's regular beer.. and they do eat regular food.. some of them anyway.. but since Lorne isn't fully open yet.. I figure we could probably find a burrito stand or a place that has nice thick juicy burgers..?"

"You're singing my song, sister. Um, what did you say your name was, by the way? I don't think we've really been introduced. Nice crossbow, by the way."

"Cordelia... Chase." She smiled and offered him her hand in a much nicer greeting than she'd given him at first. She reached with her other hand to grab her shirt and the crossbow. "Thanks.. it was a gift from ... an old friend."

"An old friend? You say that like it was either a very long time ago or .. he..? ... was a dirty old miser that parted with a few nice things. More than a few. Dean... that's Sam. Winchester.. "

"He... Angel, wasn't a dirty old miser.." Her fingers stroked over the bow as she picked it up and then tucked her shirt over her other arm. "So Dean.. you hungry or what?"

[Lovely]

May 23, 2009
9pm
Local bar

Cordelia discovered Dean sitting in the bar listening to blues ... sad-slow-rambling-done-me-wrong songs... "Uh oh." She whispered to herself as she approached him, she reached to take the beer away from Dean... she teased him a bit. "You've definitely had too much, you cant listen to this stuff.."

"Heeyyy... whoawhoawhoa... I'm not done with that... just enjoying the song, man... can't you feel it? Walkin' on the tightrope.. hoohooohoo..."

"Ohhh yeah.. I can feel it.. and I can feel you." She smiled a little, leaning over him to try to put the bottle out of reach. "Sooo.. what's with the woe?" Her other arm is draped gently around his shoulders as she shifted, not quite in his lap, so he'd look at her.

He looked over his shoulder at the hand, taking a moment to register that it was hers and that she was somehow on both sides. "Not woe, whoa, like horses. Nevermind. Don't hold yours," he smiled up at her, trying to sneaky-reach his bottle back.

"You don't want that.." She warned and teased in a soft voice, feeling the shift of his arm to try to get his bottle without her 'seeing' it.

"Oh yeah, yeah I do," he insisted with a nod, though she had his attention otherwise. "You need one, too. Gonna be a long night."

"No.. no you don't.. I have something.. I'm pretty sure you'll like better.. and it tastes better too." A bit of her weight started to ease against his leg, she wasn't going to sit uninvited, but it didn't hurt to 'ask'. Cordy chuckled. "It's been a long night almost every night since I was 16 maybe.."

"Got that beat," he shook his head, sitting back and looking up at her and trying to focus on her closeness. He could say 'since he was six' but it didn't matter. "Um, okay..have a seat."

"It's not a competition.. I made my choice.." Her voice stayed low and her smile curved a little more as she settled in his lap. "See.. thats part of what I like about you, Dean.." She was sideways over his lap, her slim skirt just covering her thighs and her long lean legs ending on a pair of heels that helped show off the strength this beauty had developed in her calling.

"Part?" He was in between comprehending English and body language as telling him two different things. His brain tied up in a knot a moment. Why were they here again? Could he afford to be this distracted? Oh yeah baby. What's an hour between friends, right? He tossed out a cavalier grin. "What choice was that?"

She chuckled watching the confusion walk over his features to be replaced by that grin. "My choice.. to do.. what I do, to help people. There were so many times when I could have walked away from this kind of life.. but I couldn't do it. I couldn't be anything other than this. I like that you understand that, that you understand what this kind of life is like. That if my pager goes off and I run out in the middle of... anything, without an explaination. You know it was work.. You have any idea how hard it is for a girl to date with this kind of life?"

He nodded and leaned on the table a little. "I think I may have some idea. At least your work pages you. Beats the hell out of having to read the classifieds and police blotters for work... no pun intended."

"It's not like we don't read those.. but we figured the pagers were a little faster than searching all over town for each other if we need to go fight the evil.." She chuckled a little at the end and looked him in the eye. "I also like that I can just be me.. without having to worry about slipping up and talk to you about this without you thinking I'm totally nuts."

"There's an assumption," Dean winked. "I never said I wasn't nuts. But feel free to be juuuuust you," he could reach for his beer now and d*mn if it didn't make her a little closer as he tried.

"I never said we weren't nuts." She whispered it close to his cheek as he leaned for the beer. "You kind of have to be to stay alive."

His fingertips brushed the side of the bottle, nearly close enough, but not quite as he was distracted by her whisper. Now he was listening. "Guess that makes us what... both survivors? Or both nuts?"

She exhaled softly, the warmth of her breath flowing over his neck and she whispered more. "Makes us both here, strong, smart... and knowing the value of every day.. every minute we're alive.. because the next breath might be the last."

"Maybe yours, not mine," he shook his head with a small chuckle, reaching again for the beer. "Not as long as there's demons out there to hunt and Sam needs me." He couldn't explain the times he had found another breath after many instances that should have, by every right, been his last. His jaw clenched a moment at that thought. "Yeah...," he sighed and sipped his drink.

"Well.. my mistake then.." She leaned back, her jaw tipping up just slightly. She started to gracefully shift out of his lap. "I never said I intended to let it be or go down without a fight... there are too many people who need my help." Her fingers brushed the hair off her neck, revealing the scar from from a vampire bite.. a particular vampire who'd she actually been trying to help.

His hand reached for her arm. "I don't see you fighting too hard now," he pointed out gently, an apologetic glance and an offer for her to sit back down. "No harm no foul? C'mon.. I was just thinkin' out loud... stupid stuff."

She looked at him, a soft sad chuckle floating softly out. "The girl I used to be.. never had to ask.. there were always boys lined up, begging to stand in line to stand in line for a chance to walk in my shadow.. she was the richest, prettiest, most powerful girl in Sunnydale.. She wouldn't recognise the woman in front of you now.. That girl was nothing.. she was empty." Her fingers brushed his cheek. "I don't fight Dean.. not with people I don't need to. I believe if you find.. if you feel a connection, you don't waste time.. You enjoy every moment you have.. especially the ones that feel good."

Dean wouldn't say there wasn't a connection, but he was having a hard time saying there was. People who stayed got hurt, or killed. Those in passing were safer and all he could afford to consider before. "I am enjoying them, can't you tell?" He nursed the last drops in his bottle, trying to sound convincing. She probably knew better.

"Yeah.. I can tell." She laughed and shook her head, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "We all make our choices about what we're willing to go for.. and what we're willing to do for the things we want and need the most.. or to stay with what's safe and never go down a path that scares us." She smoothed her skirt down her thighs and tapped his bottle lightly. "Enjoy your beer.. I'm.. going down the path that leads outside."

Nice skirt, he nodded to himself as she slipped away... that reminded him.. "Chase... you better be packing something other than a crossbow. Sure it's effective, but damned slow."

"Winchester.." She stopped and turned around, lowering her voice for him to hear but not to carry beyond that. ".. don't worry about what I'm packing.. I've fought demons in evening wear."

"I bet you have," he seethed. D*mnit if he wasn't going to have to build his image back up again now. "It's more than style," he said, the tone of insult rolling off his words as he rolled off his chair to stand. He was far from drunk, but let her think otherwise. It was part of his plan.

"Of course it is.." She countered, her eyes narrowing just a touch as she wondered what he was up to. "It's class.. it's the entire package. The build up.. the action.. and the big finish."

"You -are- talking about demons right?" He chuckled and waited, the glass of the empty bottle weighed in one hand and the mental check balanced against the other... gun, blade, salt, stake... ready. She'd said which way she was headed. He'd go the other and catch up. "Gotta go use the little demonhunter's room... I'll be back," he said, staggering off.

"What if I'm not..?" She chuckled as he staggered off. "Take it easy Dean.. I'll see you later." She shook her head, too bad he was more drunk than she'd thought.. she really -needed- to take him home! Cordy sighed and turned, heading back towards the door and out into the street to head home.

Yes you will, he muttered inside a thought. The door down the hall swung on a noticeable hinge and thunked closed heavily. Inside, he was splashing cold water quickly over his face to concentrate and cool himself down. He ran the damp fingers through his hair then patted down pockets to check his inventory this time, including the clip and release on the blade at his wrist.

He was on her mind and she was having trouble shaking it off. Damn him.. and his muscles and those pretty eyes of.. UGH! She needed to stop thinking about him! Why did she have to fall for the broody handsome strong types, or ones who she couldn't even hope to be with? Like Wesley.. "Crap." She whispered out loud, falling? She didn't just think that did she? Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she picked up her pace, trying to get away from her own thoughts. Suddenly she stopped and went still, not even breathing as she listened.

[Lovely]

May 26, 2009
3pm
Dilapitated Hotel

The sound of her heels were heard quietly as she crossed the lobby of the run down hotel, things were dusty, broken and in disrepair. It was decent enough that they could set up if they cleaned things up, but the place needed -alot- of work. With what had happened in L.A. they didn't have alot when it came to funds, fighting demons didn't always pay ..anything. Cordy still had her share of money from one big job they'd done awhile back and together with what they had left of Angel Investigations money -they'd pooled it to get here and get set up. There was money left, but was it enough to do all they would need to to get things running properly and support them while they got things flowing? Cordy sighed looking around at what would be the new home of Angel investigations and all of them if they could get things fixed up.

A little while later she was sitting against the partition which acted as the desk in the hotel lobby, looking around still and trying to come up with ideas of what they could do, afford and how to do what they couldn't. "Who do we know that is a super carpenter guy.." She stopped in mid sentence and smiled brightly. "That's it! Xander!" She remembered when she'd called Willow about Harmony, when she'd thought her former friend was gay (but it turned out she was just a vampire) that Willow had mentioned Xander being in construction, carpentry or something and that he was good at it.

Sure they hadn't spoken really since she left but you know.. they were still 'friends', right? She called him right away about the hotel...

Xander answered, hearing a voice he wasn't expecting at all. "Cordy? Yeah, hi... ... work? Free work or... ... Real work?... Yes, I know, it's all real work, but I can't afford to volunteer, you know? N... no... I didn't mean it like th-... Cor-... I... okay okay, I'll come out there to help."

"It's not like it's totally free work.. I mean fix a room and you can live there.. are you still in your parents basement? We can pay.. just not alot.. maybe a payment plan? What do you think? and.. I have room until.. or Wes if you'd prefer I'm sure he.. see he's nodding.. We'd love to have you."

"A payment plan?" He held the phone to his shoulder so she wouldn't hear the sigh and the sky-ward stare. I hate myself sometimes... "Fine.. Fine. I'll do it. I'll do it," he said, speaking to Cordy and to the voice in his head that was trying to talk him out of it. I need better friends, he considered.

"Oh!" Her voice was a giddy excited he might remember from highschool. "Oh my god! You're the best! I could kiss you.. but you know over the phone doesn't work. I take back all.. okay half of the nasty things I said to you."

"Shhh... Cordy... Calm down. Where is 'here' and how can I get a hold of you? I'm not coming alone."

"Oh Xander you don't have to bring the whole scooby gang with you.. unless they work for you. I could see Buffy in construction work -you know that girl has ..well buff!" She laughed and cleared her throat. "Umm I'm in Bon Temps.. Louisiana. umm do you have caller ID cause we don't have a phone in yet and we're using our cells."

"Memory like a steel trap," he said, looking around for paper and not finding any to take a number on anyway. He glanced at the phone that was ancient and barely a half-technological step above having a dial on it. "No ID, but I think we can find it. It wasn't Buffy I was talking about but I'm sure she'd love to see you... in the .. new place. I'm sure of it."

"Okay well.. great.. we're looking forward to seeing you.. who.. Xander Harris.. if it's not Buffy.. Oh.. is it Willow?"

"Well if Buff tags along I'm sure Will will too, but no, someone I don't know if you remember. We'll just be there when we can, okay?"

"Oh, well okay.. I'll see you soon.. ish then." She was smiling but was confused, trying to figure out who he was bringing with him if not Willow or Buffy.

The sigh was as heavy as the hand on the phone as he hung up, staring at it like it was going to catch fire... like that would surprise him? "Why... why did I say yes? It was getting nice and quiet here. Looks like we're moving out."

"We're not moving into your parents basement are we?" Anya had been reading a magazine and not really paying attention to his call.

"No, not you or me or we. We... are going to some new hell hole, literally. What do you think of Bon Temps, Louisiana?"

She closed her magazine and looked at him. "No.. nope.. and we're not going there.. no way.. no how."

"You've never heard of it or b - you don't want to go there? What's the matter with it? I mean, Cordy's still alive, how bad can it be?"

"Sweety.. I can't move to a town with.. anything 'Temps' in it It sounds all evil."

He hadn't thought of that... "It's just the name. That's not evil.... is it? Besides I already let her talk me into it. It's a paying... eventually... job. More than I've got here and it's not the basement. It might be worse, actually."

"Xander.. if you already said yes.. " She sighed and folded her arms. "Worse than the basement? What can be worse than your parents basement?"

[Lovely]

May 28, 2009
8:03pm
An alley in town

The crew had tracked down a nasty demon which had been preying on young women in the neighborhood and they had set out to take care of it. With just the few of them, splitting up to circle around and flush the thing out kind of left each of them on their own. Which is how Cordy found herself in the alley, with no back up in sight, she couldn't use her power of screaming -which she was very good at because not only would the others hear her, the demon would too and she was pretty good with it not finding her. Bigger, stronger, pissed off, and hungry tended to give demons an advantage. She had to play this smart and stay calm, damn it why did the alley have to be so foggy? She turned to see a figure ahead of her and she knew it wasn't the demon.. was it Dean or Sam? Thank goodness! She spoke up trying to be loud enough for the person to hear but not so loud as to call attention to the two of them being all 'helpless' in the alley. "So dancing boy pull me out of this fog?" She wasn't sure who it was so using a name or direct address was out of the question.

"Don't you like men of mystery?" The figure that emerged from the alley would seem more than familiar if the voice itself didn't.

She saw him but she didn't believe that she was really seeing him. Her hand tightened slightly around the small metal bar she'd picked up to defend herself. Angel wasn't the demon she was expecting to come across but this could be a trick from that one. She took a slow careful step backward.

"What?!" The grin developed out of the fog before the face itself became clear behind it. "No hug?"

If it was Angel the metal bar wouldn't do her much good but she held onto it anyway. She couldn't kill a vampire with it, but she could use it to help defend herself. "Angel?" She asked softly, her eyes shifting over him, her voice soft.

The tall figure stopped and the grin faded. He looked behind him then down at the girl in front of him and the bar in her hand. "What's that for? Did I come at a bad time? Cordy?..."

"Bad time.. well.. you know.. not if you're really you. If you are.. then now is a great time for you to be here. Cause I'm pretty sure the demon that was chasing me is going to kill me."

He pressed his fingers to a wrist and then his hand over his silent heart. "I swear... only one pulse between us. Um... so.. do you want some help?" He was more than ready to help whether she asked or not, but she was the one holding the bar. He just had a set of car keys and a freshly pressed suit.

"No." She said with a more Cordy sounding sarcastic edge. "I thought you could just watch, like getting a free pay per view show."

"Great. Got any popcorn?" He sounded aloof but he saw something she might not have heard behind her. She'd know the suddenly serious focus as his eyes went clear and his brow line tightened.

"You know I didn't think to bring any.. sorry." She knew the look on his face and had the sinking feeling he knew about something that she couldn't sense yet. Cordy swallowed and licked her lips. "This is all I have.. will it do?" She briefly motioned to the bar, feeling the hair in the back of her neck start to prick up.

He nodded slightly and started to walk toward Cordy like he wasn't sensing a thing other than the company of an old friend. He leaned down like he'd hug her and spoke quietly. "To your left... ready?"

Her eyes fluttered closed for a second with him close, she'd missed him so much and didn't realize how much she had been still hoping he'd show up. "Yes I am very upset that you... left." She was ready and as she spoke the word her hand lifted and she shifted to the left.

Ready she was as she moved. He launched past her toward the creature that intended to kill her. Going to her left she'd spin directly toward it to brace herself as it approached.

She spun and felt Angel launch past her, her eyes widened as she saw the thing coming at her, it was bigger than it had seemed to be when she first came across it. Her feet planted with her knees slightly bent and the bar held firmly.

She was glad there only appeared to be one, with two mouths? "Eeww.." She whispered as the thing drooled, thinking it was going to make her a meal. It had to be about seven feet tall, towering over her and Angel, two sets of arms lashed out at their sudden movement and it made a gurguling sound. One set of large eyes watched them, from within a bumpy head and slimey skin. Whatever kind of demon it was, she couldn't pronounce the name Wesley had found in his research, it was fairly gross and she just knew she was going to end up with icky demon innards on her again.

Empty handed was not the way to go at this thing, but other than carkeys... he'd need those... he would have to resort to brute force. Ripping into it was bound to ruin his dinner plans one way or another anyway. "Works for thugs in alleys, why not," he growled, slipping the keys between knuckles and giving a swing at one of its many eyes.

The thing was cumbersome which is why it preyed on more helpless victims, it could move forward quickly but twisting to the side and deflecting was dificult. As Angel went for the eyes, Cordy moved to slam the sharper end of her piece of bar into it's chest. She didn't have Angel's strength, which she could have used at the moment as she tried to drive the bar into the thing's heart.

The thing hardly reacted at first to the dent in its socket that spurted. Maybe it didn't have any pain receptors? Or maybe it was that slow to react. It definitely wasn't falling over easily. Angel looked at the soggy mess on his hand a moment and went after another eye before it realized it was being slowly blinded.

Cordy cried out as a sharp claw dug into her side as the creature tried to push her away before she could drive the bar deeper. Her hands slipped off the bar a moment in reaction to the pain. The creature shook it's head slowly trying to clear it's vision, it didn't seem to be pained by the damage to it's eye but was partially blinded.

[Lovely]

May 29, 2009
mid-morning
Bon Temps Hotel

The crew was all together again and though not a typical family -they were chatting and teasing each other like only family can as they all set in to work on getting the hotel cleaned up. Fred and Cordy had both noticed the ratio of men to women and this had gotten the subject off on a rail and around to the girls having a lack of boyfriends.

Fred ended up leaving to go get them some breakfast and so she missed it when someone made a comment about "..the boys are just being themselves... wishywashy, non commital, self depricating slimes.. egotistical, but otherwise wishywashy.."

It made them laugh and Cordy brought up another point. "this true, but some of the girls just want a boyfriend.. like normal girls and abnormal girls get to have.." She pouted a little, they just didn't seem to get it.

Gunn was just chuckling. "But none o'y'all are anything normal any way you look at it."
"Not... that that's bad..." He stopped laughing and started cleaning.

"We still deserve boyfriends.. we may be freaks in our own ways.. but we're not hideous awful people.. we're human.. or mostly human.. and we need that connection just like the people we save."

"Whoa, who said anything about anybody ... "connecting" with anybody? I was just saying..that that... that you ladies are all pretty, um... exceptional and that these guys, they ain't worth your time, that's all."

"Speak for yourself, hotshot. If I wasn't worth the time, I wouldn't still be hunted after two hundred years. Some of the ones after me were even almost normal themselves," Angel nodded.

"The definition of almost in your book must be as fast and loose as someone's version of normal," Wesley quipped from behind the newspaper ads. "Are we looking for work or writing a soap opera? Anyone find anything worth following yet?"

"Thanks for caring about my pain Wes. When I don't show up for work one day, don't bother checking my room for the body." She sighed leaning on the counter, with her head on her hand. "I've been alone for four years.. the last real boyfriend I had was Xander. It's.. just getting very lonely."

"Then this must be the place. Someone hire a carpenter? Have hammer will tr-... holey... maybe I should have brought two," Xander said, hearing the echo of Cordelia's familiar voice in the lobby as he entered, Anya somewhere close behind. He looked around and wondered if he could un-enter... would any of them notice. "You said work, not overhaul."

"Xander!" Her smile was bright as she pushed off the counter and turned to him. "Ohh my god! It's great to see you... wow.. I actually mean that.." She shook her head, smiling as she approached him offering a genuine hug. "Overhaul is work, is it not?"

"We're not staying here.. are we.. Xander?" She stumbled in behind him, looking around with a frown. "Oh.. it's.. Angel.. and Wesley..and Cordelia.. and I don't know you." She pointed to Gunn.

"Don't start," Xander warned Anyanka through the small smile. How many miles had the discussion lasted already? "Work is... it's good to see you, Cordy," he said, returning the hug and not finishing his comment about feeling keelhauled into helping out on a lost cause. "Should he... you know... is everything okay.. .here... with you all... um, together like this?" He pointed out Wesley and Angel, wondering what the rest of the story was and why everyone seemed to be getting along.

"Who's starting, I'm not starting.. I'm stating.. saying.. hello. So hello.. gang." Anya waved and gave a totally forced smile.

Cordy laughed a little and turned into the room motioning towards the others. "Of course.. fine as it can be.. we're.. oh here.. card." She pulled the cinged card from her pocket and handed it to Xander. "Angel investigations.. that's us.. we're a team.. this is Gunn. He's part of our team.. and Fred is.. getting us breakfast.. she'll be back soon. You'll like her." She leaned in closer and gave him a questioning look. "Anya?" She whispered, not knowing why they were together.

"She'll be thrilled you remembered," Xander nodded, maybe answering more than he wanted to admit at the moment.

"Um.. right.. anyway.." She looked at him, not really understanding what or why he said what he did and didn't seem to hear anything else she'd said.

"Anya, you remember Cordy? That's Gunn and I guess we'll meet Fred soon," he said, trying to bring her in nicely and meet the others. He was ready to sit in a nice quiet corner for a few minutes and let the overwhelmedness sink in a little. "Oh, Cordy, you asked about Buffy and Willow... they um, wanted to take separate cars or the bus or something. Did they get here already? We um... had a couple detours on the way."

"Buffy and Willow are coming?... Super.. isn't that super? Wes.. Angel.. won't that be great?" She turned with her eyes a little wide and stepped back towards the desk, but then turned again and smiled at Anya. "Hi.. been awhile.. how are you?"

Anya hopped a little as she walked into the lobby more. "Oh good.. Xander and I are very happy.. I never had a chance to thank you. Without you .. I never would have been able to have so much sex with him."

"Um... soo.. hahah... um, great way to break the ice. Let's just um... yeah ice... actually... how about water, something... please? Long drive," Xander said, trying not to make anyone uncomfortable, especially himself now that it felt twenty degrees warmer in the sparse lobby.

Gunn chuckled. "Nice girl... poor guy," he muttered to Angel. "I got the drinks... water, water and water... on the house. Anything else while I'm up?"

"A stake.. if you could just stake me.. that would be great." She laughed as she turned around, nearly glaring at Wesley and Angel. She walked behind the counter where they were sitting and leaned to whisper to Angel. "You see that.. this is all your fault! Xander is having sex.. and I can't even get a date.. I'm blaming this on you! ..and maaybe Doyle but he's not here to take it out on.. so you better find a way to fix it!" She huffed and straightened up, turning to smile as Anya and Xander wandered closer. "So.. ahh.. how long have you two.. been.. um.."

"Having sex regularly? Almost four years now.. since the fall after Buffy blew up the high school." Anya offered with her usual peppiness and a smile. "I love Xander... and you can't have him back .. so if that is why you called him here. You can forget it. I may not have my powers anymore, but I will still fight you for him."

"Girls, that's great. Really nice of you, but heheeeey... look, we're all a team here, right? Aren't we? So... where do you want me to start hammering? I mean... you know... nails... fixing things, like doors. Got an extra stake? I'm not serious, don't take me seriously," he paused, a hand out toward the first of them that moved, not sure what they would do. This was just too weird to handle right now. "No fighting...Anya... don't you worry about that." He found the nearest empty seat, hoping it would sprout a hinged jaw and swallow him whole.

"Four years... ?" Angel nodded gently, thinking back on recent times with a faded smile. He wasn't sure that was entirely good news for the boy, knowing Anya's history. "Well..." What else was there to say to that?

"No nuts! Four... with him? Dude, right on," Dean piped up, hopping down and over the railing of the stairs at the last to join the crew. "Sorry, couldn't help overhearing. Niiiice to meet you," he offered Anya, with a smile he gave most new girls. "Strawberry blonde... very nice."

"Xander no offence but I'm not desperate enough to fight an .. Anya for you.. I'm very glad you two are happy.." Of course she wanted to crawl under the desk and never come back out again. Then watching Dean flash that smile at Anya, she did turn around pretending to shuffle through the papers for something so she didn't have to keep watching.

"You are very pretty, but I don't want to have sex with you." She smiled at Dean and patted him on the arm, pulling her hands back to fold behind her back as she sort of bounced on her toes again. "..It's good I'm no longer in the vengence business I'm sure I would have been called for you sooner or later." Seeing where Xander sat she moved over to curl in his lap, smiling adoringly at him.

"Pretty? Ouch... she's sharp. Nice to meet you anyway... I'm Dean. You'll meet Sam around here someplace, probably behind a computer or something knowing him. Going out to pick up some beer. Anyone want anything?"

Xander was done with arguments and slumped, leaving a lap for Anya to slide into though he didn't really mind now. "You just met him. Let him live. I'm sure he's good for something," he managed to sigh, hoping that she wasn't seriously going to try breaking anyone when they just arrived.

"A piano to drop on me from out of nowhere.." She sighed and pushed her chair back. "I think I need some air.. I'll be back in a minute." Cordy stood up, rubbing her temples as she headed for the door to step outside for a few minutes. Air would do her good and a minute to absorb it all.. and not have to scream.

"Cordelia, didn't you say you had a few things to pick up?" Wesley chimed in to Dean's offer, trying to get her out of her own slump and out of the awkward situation with Xander... the road to hell, paved with good intentions, but it was worth a try. "Dean, why not take her with you?"

"Wes... um, probably not a really very good idea," Angel muttered, waiting for something to scream, explode, catch fire or ....

"I definately need asprin.. " She stopped and turned back to them. "Sorry I just have this terrible pain.. and it's making me cranky and out of sorts.. a little asprin will fix me right up."

The temple rubbing and pain commentary was noticed from no less than two directions familiar with the signs. Dean stopped and came back a few steps, obviously more concerned about her than beer.

Angel stood and moved closer. "Just aspirin? Are you okay?" He watched, near enough to catch her if he needed. "Where's Gunn with that water? Did he get lost in the basement or something?"

"I'm fiiiiiine!" Her back arched and she jerked violently as if grabbed or thrown by something. Her hands clawed into her hair as she cried out. losing her balance as a harsh vision racked through her.

"Oh sh----...." Dean jumped back toward Cordelia, hoping to get her before she hit the floor or anything else. "Chase! damnit... Cordy, ... hey, it's okay..."

Angel was faster and closer, finding himself behind her and trying to keep her flailing gently controlled. "Wesley - get Gunn up here, now! Sorry folks, this'll take just a minute. Everythings... just ffiiiine," he said, clenching his jaw against the strength in the woman while trying to find the fine line to keep her from injury.

"What happened? What's going on?" Xander Harris, for one, was upset more than the others who seemed to know what was going on but not telling him.

Anya watched, nearly amused at the entertainment, seeing Cordy flail suddenly. She didn't laugh but watched with rapt interest wondering if something would burst out of her middle.

Cordy screamed and kicked, one hand clawing into Angel's arm and the other flinging out, if she could catch any part of Dean she'd also latch onto him. Her back arched in a manner that showed her body was lithe and flexible but that her vision wasn't a simple 'little' thing. It continued for a few more moments before she went slack and limp, if Angel wasn't holding her she'd be on the floor. She gasped, opening her eyes and trying to catch her breath so she could tell them what she'd seen.

Dean's arm was in reach enough to get tugged at but he pulled back. "Heeey now, I may need that. Does she do this often?" He looked at Angel and to Wes who seemed to know enough about it to stay back. "Too freakin' much like my brother. What did you see? Chase... you alright?"

Angel raised an eyebrow as the boy pulled away. What was it with him? "Often enough," he nodded, a half shrug about being used to it, but worried just the same. They appeared to be getting worse. "I gotcha Cordy," he said quietly, hoping she didn't have any aftershock that might make her forget who he was and try to smack the daylights out of him.

"Sensory input entirely like being electrocuted, or so I've been told from a reliable source. Too often, yes, and never pleasant. She's lucky we were here this time," Wes managed to explain albeit vaguely, pushing Dean aside to check her.

"Water, water and ww-what the hell just happened up here?" Gunn saw the gathering and Cordy in Angel's lap with Anya in Xander's looking like she was enjoying the show. "Should I have gotten some popcorn for y'all too? Is she alright?"

"Ooo.. do you have popcorn? Will she do it again? Perhaps we should have some in case?" Anya was still thoroughly transfixed with watching and how everyone reacted to it.

Cordy groaned a little, curling her arm over her abdomen where it stung as if her skin had been sliced open by the claws of the beast she'd seen, which in fact it had. "I'm... fine.. told you.. I'm fine.." She gasped out, trying to move and hide her pain and injury from the others. "You.. you have to go.. sewers.. near the park.."

"Sewers? OKaaaay, maybe I was a little hasty on the whole job thing, you know... that thought of maybe getting paid as a carpenter someday... could have been too big a dream. We really don't need to be in a town that has sewers... again," Xander said, wincing against the inevitable involuntary volunteering that was about to happen. He'd just spent how many hours in a small space with Anya as it was... with no sex to make up for the arguing and... "Popcorn's good. I could hold out for popcorn. You guys go, we'll just get settled in, how's that?"

Fred came in juggling sacks of food and drinks she and Cordy had pitched in to get everyone as a surprise. She left and probably over bought the assortment -not knowing what the brothers might want and since she'd left before the rest of the crew was on to them -they'd wanted it to be a nice treat. "Woah.." She exclaimed over her bags as she caught view of the group. "Uh oh.. I don't think I brought enough donuts to fix that.." She meant to make Cordy feel better, her visions were so hard on her.

"Donuts? You brought donuts?" Dean's eyes lit up momentarily at the thought of snacks but the commentary had him looking around the room. "Wait... where's Sam. I wonder if he knows anything about this. Sammy?!" He stepped out of Wesley's way to try and get at least a piece of donut while they were fresh. "You mind?"

"Gunn, give her one of those. Come on, let's get you in a chair. We've got to go. Sewers near the park. You take care of her, I've got the car," Angel said, looking outside. "On second though, Gunn, get the car." It was still somewhat too light out. He'd go underground and meet them.

"Hey!" Fred slapped at Dean's hands, setting the bags and cartons on the counters to free her hands up and giving Dean a stern look. "Those are Cordy's favorite.." She explained why he couldn't have that donut, but he could take another. "Oh.." She dug in a bag and pulled out a sandwich for him. "Cordy seemed to think you'd like this.. and here o.j... she said you needed something besides beer to nurish you."

"Wait.. hello.. anyone want to know what their going into the sewer for?" She chuckled and winced still trying to keep her tummy turned so they wouldn't see. Her hand was damp with blood and she knew she wasn't hiding it for long.

Sam rolled on the dusty floor and got to his knees, he'd never had a vision quite like that. Talk about intense and vivid -not like his others which were more like a dream, he'd really felt that one. "Wow.." He shook his head and slowly pushed himself upright, getting to his feet, he pushed his hair out of his face and took a deep breath. His steps were stumbling as he made his way to the stairs and started down, he was sore? This was.. he didn't know what to think of it, all he knew was they had to go help. "Dean?" He called, gripping the rail, he'd heard his brother call him.

"Xander don't be a sissy.. we're here now.. I like it.. they are all so.." She sighed, her eyes sparkling with interest and delight as she watched the others. "I mean even Wesley.. he's so.. did he get taller?"

"Down here, Sammy!" Dean hollered, holding up the bounty of sandwich and juice. He wasn't going to argue about the beer. Food was food! "Thank you sooooo very much," he smiled for Fred and tottered off with it. "Keys, let's go. But, I'm guessing... you knew that. Whadda we got... ghosts? Demons? Crazy aunt Millie with a sawed-off shot gun, what?"

"Taller? Um, I wouldn't know. I'm used to seeing him cowering around the corner I'm not cowering behind," Xander admitted, though he was getting the feeling that he'd enjoy himself once he got his feet wet again, even if that meant soggy shoes full of sewer muck. She was right - they were here and for all the strangeness of it, it all seemed warm and fuzzy like normal... like home. "I need sleep," he admitted quietly, shaking his head at his thought that this was, in any sense, normal.

Angel's eyes flared and he caught the edge of the chair Cordelia folded into. He looked down at her hand and reached to move it. He could sense it, smell it.. "Gunn! Towel and first aid kit. Jesus, Cordy... what happened?"

"Yes, I think we should know what we're up against," Wesley noted, already reaching for something to stop the bleeding while Gunn ran off for the kit in the office. "Manifestation from the visions? This isn't good."

"Not good? You're not kidding. I feel like I've been hit by a truck." Sam admitted coming down the stairs, the bruise on his cheek visible as he stepped out of the shadow. "It threw me across the room.. that's definately new." He looked at Dean, worried as they started fussing more over Cordy. He stole Dean's juice as an excuse to lean closer. "Is she okay? I mean this thing ..hurt and you know.. I'm not entirely normal.."

Anya felt like she was tingling. "Xander.. isn't this so exciting?" She shifted in the chair, she was less a part of this group than she had been of the scoobies.. but she had a strange feeling she might be more accepted here.

Cordy tried to smile her usual bright smile for Angel. looking up at him. "Thanks Wes.." She felt him more than saw him trying to get to her wounds. "It's like.. a giant.. demonic bear.. really.. big.. sharp.. claws.. sharper than a regular bear, longer.. it's teeth too.." Cordy rested her head back against the chair and laced her hand into Angel's, squeezing against the pain in her middle.

Fred's eyes widened and she grabbed the only thing she had close while Gunn went for the first aide kit -the napkins from their food. "Charles hurry!" She knelt down next to Wesley, offering him the pitiful paper napkins to start with. "Sorry.. we're not exactly stocked up yet.."

"Hotel without towels? What's up with that!? Okay, this'll have to do, sorry but it's kinda short order," Gunn said, leaping back out like he was cutting across the court for a dunk, landing next to Fred and Wes with a roll of TP and some sponges from the cabinet that were still wrapped. "Just don't ask and don't look, Cordelia. We'll get you good as new. Whatcha'lll standing around for? Lady said get to the park!" He was looking up from the make-do first aid gear at Sam, Dean and Xander.

"Too many hands spoil the sutures, I think. Winifred, I think she's in good hands with you two. I'll go with the others. I think I know what we're looking for. Boys... I'm coming with you!" Wesley excused himself from the close quarters with Fred and Gunn.

"You? You mean me and...?" Xander looked at the guys he'd just met... Dean and the tall guy he figured must be Sam since the name was shouted out and no one else was here. They didn't look like typical slayers, not even close. "What do they do? They look like roadies more than slayers or hunters. You want me to go with them?"

"You're going with them, Wes is coming with me," Angel said, slipping reluctantly from Cordy's grasp and letting Fred and Gunn work. He needed to get away from the blood. "Take care of her. Wes... crossbow. I'll take these," he said, getting a blade and some ancient other-worldly looking rifle. "Let's go hunt some bear. We'll meet you there."

"Xander is going? but.. but.. he doesn't have Buffy to protect him.. he can't go.. he could get hurt or killed.. and then who would I have sex with? Or snuggle with.. and who would chase those horrid bunnies out of the yard?" Anya stood up in a panic, it was her unique way of saying she cared, even if sounded all kinds of wrong.

"Oh speaking of hotel... I found a room I want while I was up there doing my sweep. You'll know which one by the face mark in the wall that resembles me." Sam laughed, pulling the keys out to toss them to Dean as he continued to drink the juice, eyeing Cordy again. He had alot more questions for her -later. "Yeah.. Angel.. careful with the weapons.. it's going after kids. They'll wander off from a picnic. This thing has disgusting yellow eyes.. do not look it in the eye."

"Right.. it's slow moving though and can't see well, that will be your advantage.. but it relies on smell and petrifying it's prey. You should bring the axes.. and do we have a chain saw?" Cordy winced again as Fred pressed on her abdomen and it made her sit up straighter. "Anya.. Xander will be fine.. he's been doing this awhile.. and he's braver than he lets on."

Dean shrugged, amused and accommodating. "Ax and chainsaw. We stocked up a bit since the last time," he said, not sure Sam knew he'd 'found' one and added it to the assorted goodies at their disposal. "We'll bring him back in one piece, I promise," he said to Anya, ready to escort Xander away as he palmed the keys and waited for Sam to be ready. "Room? Who said we're staying?"

"She's lying. I'm not braver, I'm really not. I like this shirt," he said, knowing that just the promise of coming back in one piece was likely to be broken now that someone said it out loud. He looked down at the shirt, the last time he figured he'd see it unstained, untorn and still covering his currently uninjured self. "Guess I'm going."

Angel took note of the comments and started off for the back hallway, checking the rounds and bolts he had available.

Wesley paused. "School children? It's like a circus in reverse," he said, nauseated at the thought of the innocent victims being lured by the 'center' attraction that would appear like a lumbering teddybear, until baring its fangs and claws... like what had cut Cordelia. "Let's hope it's slow enough not to get any more. Back soon...," he said, wondering if anyone really cared much if he came back sometimes. He followed Angel to the back to get to the sewer entrance in the alley.

"Now that's the Xander I used to hide in closets with!" Cordy teased him with a small smile, still trying to be braver than the pain wanted to let her be. "Hey Wes.. you.. umm.. better take good care of that crossbow.." Her eyes lifted to meet his if he turned. "I'm pretty fond of it, I'd like it back in one piece." She didn't mean the bow, and her message also held an underlying meaning for the person.. well vampire who'd given it to her. She turned back towards Sam and Dean and gave them a bit of a smile. "Be careful.. I'd really prefer you all come back in one piece."

Fred looked up as Cordy was talking to Dean and Sam. "Be careful Wesley.. " She called, not knowing if he heard her. "I guess.. we'll save all this food for later.. " She looked at the counter and then at Cordy's middle. "Charles.. this isn't going to work.. try to find something else. Please?"

Anya folded her arms and nearly glared at Sam and Dean. "You better.. if you do not.. I will be very vengeful!." She pouted and looked at Xander, dropping her head a little. "All the way from Sunnydale.. and.. well you better come back. okay."

Sam sighed and stepped beside his brother, giving him a look. "I just said I liked a room.. when did we get a chainsaw?" His eyebrow arched, challanging him back a little. "Cordelia.. stop bleeding and we'll be back soon, Fred the food smells great.. don't eat it all.. I think we'll have some hungry boys when we get back." He turned to head for the door.

"I got a chainsaw..," he repeated like it was no big deal, pilfering it from an open garage down the street. "I got the chainsaw, you can use the ax. You did great with it the last time," Dean added, patting his brother's arm and stepping ahead of him to get the door. "Xander... come on, man. Ain't got all day, let's go!"

"What's not working? Just need to get the stitches in and she'll be fine. You okay with layin' down, Cordelia? Anya... it's Anya, right? Clear off that space up there and help us get her up there flat."

Xander watched Gunn and Fred try to manage with suddenly too few hands but he was going to be left behind if he didn't hurry. Decisions, decisions... "I... um... wait, hold on! Anya, I gotta go, okay?" He settled for a kiss to her bowed forehead, taking Cordelia's comments from earlier to heart enough not to make her more uncomfortable. Anya on the other hand....

"Okay." Anya held his sleeve for a moment but let go as Xander walked away, she always worried about him but never felt enough a part of the old gang to truly help them -they all hated her. She turned and looked at Gunn with surprise and questioning. "You.. you want me to help?" She smiled and nodded. "Yes.. of course I will help you with Cordelia." She seemed eager and excited to be asked to help and hurried to clear the food and other items off the counter. "I 'll get her feet.. if you can get her shoulders." She offered coming back and kneeling near Cordy's feet.

"Okay.. Charles.. you got her? I'll keep the pressure here, she's bleeding pretty bad. Like razor cuts or something.. This is from a vision?"

Cordy sighed, it seemed they were moving her whether she wanted to or not. "Guys.. I'm going to be alright.. I .. really.. fine.. I'll just lay on the counter while you all play doctor."

"We got her. Okay. Alright is when your insides stay inside. Now hush and let the lady do her work," Gunn winked. Cordy knew better, tough girl or not, they took care of each other. "Whatcha need? More of those, more light, one of those bottles of sumpin-sumpin we can't pronounce that only Wesley knows what does or what?"

Xander's step was quicker and seemingly eager as he followed Dean and Sam out the door, realizing the souped-up junker was theirs. "You... you really drive that?" He chuckled. He couldn't complain, looking at the very similar beat-up four-door that was about the same age. He held up a finger and dodged to get something out of the back. "Just a sec... might need these," he said, prying open the squeaky door to grab a back pack full of stakes and a few miscellaneous and strangely familiar items. "Never leave home without it, I guess."

"Yeah yeah.. My insides are still mostly inside.. I actually..it's strange.. it's starting to hurt less." Cordy explained, letting them move her, that did hurt but in general where the slashes had happened seemed less painful.

Dean was speechless. What did he mean by 'that' and pointing to their best girl, the queen of the highway? He gave Xander a look and just walked off to console the ego of the black beauty Impala... maybe a little of his own ego. He'd been slapped already a few times and they hadn't even met up with the otherworld beast yet.

Fred nodded and waited to check Cordy's middle until they had her resting flat. What she saw made her gasp. "Charles.. you better look at this." The bleeding had stopped and it looked like the wounds were slowly knitting themselves shut.

Sam tucked his head down and tried to hide the chuckle at Xander's comment about the car and Dean's reaction to it. "It was our dad's car.. he gave it or sold it to Dean.. anyway.. I'm Sam." He put his hand out to Xander.

"Xander... Alexander Harris," he replied, looking at the hand like it was a tentacle at first. Realizing it wasn't, he shouldered his pack and grasped firmly in return. "Let's go get this thing. She brought fresh donuts."

"Don't ever say that again," Dean turned, muttering at the two of them. "She's sensitive. But, she's got speed which we need if we can avoid the one way streets. How do we get there?" He looked pointedly at Xander for his comments, but let them pass and then to Sam, waiting for his co-pilot to plot out the best course.

"Whatcha got Fred?" Gunn was digging around for more things to sop up the excess so they could see to sew up the cuts. Fred told him to look and he did, dropping another sponge on the counter and watching. "Is one o'y'all doing that? What did you give her?"

Sam tapped Xander's arm lightly in a friendly way. "Come on.." He turned to Dean with a slight teasing grin. "Well that depends.. do you want to get there before Angel does?" He'd noticed a bit of competition brewing between them, each seeming to want to be the heroic one and impress.. well a certain girl neither of them seemed to be making a sure play for.

"He's on foot. How fast can he be?" Dean's confidence in their wheeled wonder was as apparent as his lack of knowledge on the tall dark brooding man the headed off before them. "We'll get there first. Now, which way?"

"I'm not doing anything.. I have lost all my powers and have not had any time to try to do any sort of spell." Anya answered in her simple honest way as she peeked over Fred's shoulder ar Cordy.

Fred shook her head and looked at Gunn, her face puzzled at both this healing and at Anya's comments. "You know I can't do anything like this.. I had toilet paper, it wasn't magic tp was it?"

Cordy lifted her head, looking at them all with wide eyes. "Didn't do what? What happened? Do I have something gross? Is there worms or something crawling out of me.. it's hideous isn't it? I'm going to be horribly scarred aren't I?"

****************LATER****************

The time passed quickly or maybe they really weren't gone that long, either way Cordelia was 'fixed' up when the boys returned from their outing. She was wearing one of Xander's shirt's, well buttoning one up as she came out of the bathroom seeing the boys coming back into the lobby. She gave a small smile to Xander first as he was closest.

Xander looked at Anya and back and Cor "... um... do I want to know?"

"Xander.. her shirt was torn and all bloody. You did tell me to be nice.. did you not?"

"Sure.. nice. Are you still bleeding... Cordy?" He had taken two steps in and stopped, looking around at the lack of concern they'd left earlier. He turned back to be sure he hadn't stepped through some weirdness portal. "Y-you were injured, right?"

"HEeeeeey you're up! Good, good... um... where's the donuts? Any left?" Dean's eyes lit up with more relief than he let on as he came in behind Xander, his own shirt marked with the spray of something that decided not to 'dust' out when they finally cornered it. He was glad to see Cordelia up and around, but the shirt made him wonder. "You go shopping while we were gone?" He asked, noting just how nice the 'boyfriend' shirt look looked on her as he went to find the grub.

"Xander if you don't want me to borrow the shirt, just say so. I'll take it off." She muttered, thinking he was miffed that Anya had let her use it, but she and Anya weren't the same size up top and she wouldn't fit in Anya's shirt. Her fingers started undoing the buttons she hadn't finished doing up. "I'm up.. I'm fine.. told you all I was fine.. Plenty of food left.. we haven't even dug into it yet.. sort of distracted.. you wash your hands before you touch my donuts! I do not want demon slime or ooze in my mouth." She scolded at Dean, starting for the counter to intercept him before he put his hands in the food.

"Oh it was very neat.. she just.. sealed right up before we even got to operate on her. I was really hoping to watch them sew her up." Anya tried to explain, excited still and stepping closer to Xander. "I'm so glad you made me come here.. I like it so much better than Sunnydale."

"I... I um..." Xander was about to stop Cordy from unbuttoning then pausing to question the healing and again to defend the decision about making a former vengeance demon do anything she didn't well please herself in doing. His mouth closed and he curled inward, defeated. "It's fine. You can wear it. I'll just go.. um wash up, okay?"

"What, holy water isn't good enough for your donuts?" Dean teased, backing off from the bags with his hands up at a most inappropriate height as Cordy slapped after him. He lowered his hands.. and his eyes briefly. More than just his hands needed to be cleaned up at the moment.

The conversations through the back hallway sounded more one sided than usual. "... I mean, c'mon Wesley. It only gored with one of its fangs. You got it before you lost any vital organs. What's not to love about that?"

There was little response from the pale man who held his arm tightly bound in a tourniquet cloth. Whatever had happened, he could walk, but he didn't appear to be feeling well enough to do much else beyond make his way back to his desk.

"Thank you Xander!" She called after him as he went for the bathroom and she fended Dean off the donuts. She noticed the eye drop and decided to be slightly evil, fluffing the shirt out a little before starting to rebutton it, giving a quick glimpse at just why she couldn't wear Anya's shirt instead. "I'm eating all the creme filli.." She stopped mid thought and turned as Wes and Angel came back.

"Wes?" She was after their first aide kit and moving toward his desk while giving a look to Angel to give her details. "Fred and Gunn went after some more supplies.. I think they may be searching the basement to see what's stored down there.. Wesley, let me take a look at that."

"Basements.. fabulous," he said, looking washed out and distracted, possibly a little in shock. "I ... don't remember. Was it poisonous?" Wesley spoke quietly, feeling that Cordelia would tell him just how mortally wounded he was. He moved his arm forward but didn't release the pressure from the cloth yet.

"What? Oh... he got bit, but only one fang," Angel said, apparently amused by the bear creature they fought. He sounded invigorated... as much as an undead broody hulk could manage. He made 'fang' fingers on one hand and wiggled one. "Not really that impressive. You weren't kidding that thing moved slow. Wes just got in the way."

Dean followed Cordelia to take a look, again at the fashion show, but more to take a look at the wound. "Hm. Nice. Don't think he wants to hear this but... I think he'll live," he snipped.

Cordy left her buttons unfinished again, more concerned with the fact that Wesley was bleeding and more concerned than any of the others seemed to be about him. "It wasn't poisonous.. thank goodness." She reassured him. "How deep did it go in?" She turned her head to give both Dean and Angel a warning glare. "I don't really see either of you bleeding.. or clothes torn.. so did Wesley get in the way of you two playing? Why didn't one of you get him out of the way?" She took ahold of Wesley's arm and sat down on the desk, leaning to take a better look and lift the bandage to replace it with a fresh one. "Could one of you at least get me the antiseptic and gauze?"

Angel grinned a little and cast a look at Dean... playing? Right. "Actually, he was trying to get the bolt back that misfired and was on the wrong side from either of us. It was great timing though. The thing got hold of his arm, Dean got one side, I got the other... wham bam... no more bear. Had to shake him loose of Wes though. Not sure which screamed louder him or... um... yeah, gauze. I'll see what we have."

"Should be pretty clean... holy water and all," Dean shrugged. "Kinda deep but it wasn't ragged. He's had pressure on it the whole way back."

"We're gettin' mouse traps, that's all I'm sayin'," Gunn said, seeming to be in a hurry to get back to the others. He was carrying a box of miscellaneous supplies, but the choices were still dismal. "Looks like somebody cleaned up pretty good in the stock room, not a lot left behind, except mice. Waaaay too many mice."

"Or we could let Dean shoot them, like target practice." She glanced up to Gunn with the box and nodded in thanks for what little he had found and then winked at Dean. "So you cleaned his wound with holy water? Okay.. Just find me some gauze and we'll have him all patched up. Anyone else have any injuries I need to take a look at?"

Sam came in with a small bag that held a change of clothes for him and Dean if he chose to get out of his grubby stuff. He heard Cordy's comments about the rats and chuckled, shaking his head, girl was probably the only one he knew who could keep up with Dean's wise cracks and toss the comments out like that. He wasn't sure if his brother appreciated it, the way he should. "I'm going to get cleaned up.. Cordelia.. you look alot better.." His head cocked to the side as he regarded her, she seemed just fine now.

"Sure, if you want," Dean shrugged, frowning at the poor waste of ammo but if that's what it took... "Good way to kill the time since it looks like we're staying a while." He hadn't really discussed it with Sam since he'd mentioned the room earlier, but he was considering landing in one place for a little while wasn't necessarily bad. Maybe make it a sort of HQ of their own.

Xander returned, looking around at the odd exchange of glances and trying to duck all of them if possible. "Did you say mice? And staying? So ... we're all staying, here?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Gunn mumbled, digging through the box and reading labels on a few bottles that made him wince either being too hard to read or unable to read. "One big happy... is this stuff still good?" He held out one of the bottles for Cordelia or Angel to look at. Some was rubbing alcohol, some ammonia, a bottle or two of cleansers and a few that it was hard to say what they'd been in a former life before the dank and forgotten basement.

Wesley couldn't take the empty stare off the wound as Cordy waited to redress it. It stung from the Holy Water and despite the depth it didn't seem to hurt nearly as it should. It was cold, perhaps from the blessing effect against the demon's ... fluids... Wesley's face turned more green as he thought through the incident. "I'm not well."

"I was kidding Dean.. but you can help kill them if you want.. really.. I wouldn't mind at all, you take my place in the mice.. eegh, anyway.." She flashed a smile after shuddering the heebies about mice away. She turned back to Wesley and saw how his color looked, if he threw up.. "Okay.. just .. someone help me get him in one of the rooms. He needs to lie down or something while we find some better bandages." She slid off the desk and leaned down to put her arm around him.

Anya flitted around the other side of the counter, watching as eagerly as before and even looking as if she wanted to be of help. She grabbed one of the bottles of water Fred had brought back, thinking Wesley should have some once they got him in a room.

Sam looked at Dean and grinned a bit at what he said about staying, maybe he wasn't completely sour on that idea. They'd have to talk about it some but he was hoping.. there was something about these people and this place. It was somewhat like the road house but to him so much warmer, better, alive and.. he could learn so much from them. Besides it looked to have quite the supply of supernatural occurance to keep them busy.

*********************

The others had shuffled off to different places, Wes was trotted off to heave in a trash can in his own room once he was convinced he'd live and eventually be fine. Xander and Anya were off getting settled once she found a room she'd tolerate... Fred and Gunn headed out for real supplies in case there was another medical almost-emergency... Angel and Sam were entertaining each other for the most part. The 'yak yak yak' was heard in the background as they got into discussions. Sam eagerly taking notes.. "You're a wha-...?? ... okay... so tell me more..." The sound of his fingers flying on the laptop came next.. (typetypetypetype...)

Appeasing her request, Dean came back in after washing off and changing, showing his hands like a five-year old, back and front for Cordelia's approval before reaching after a donut in the bag. "Hey - who took the last one?!"

She looked at him -deer in the headlights- for half a second before shrugging and wiping the chocolate frosting from the corner of her lips. She chuckled and tried to look innocent, motioning that there was half of one left on the napkin in front of her. "Here.. I saved you some." If he'd been a minute later, that sucker would have been gone!

"Eh... finish it," he said, passing it off casually though he watched it like a mouse in a hawk's sights. He pulled up a chair, flipping it to lean on the back as he sat down, looking her over and wondering.. if she wasn't a demon, then how...? "Feeling better?"

"Only if you'll share, otherwise I'll feel really bad and that won't be better." She gave a smile, waving the donut in front of him as if flying it in her finger tips.

"No, it's really okay, you go ahead," he grinned. He was watching her smile as well as the donut. He needed answers first. "Nice, but no. It's really okay. So... Fred said you just.. um.. healed right up, huh?"

"Yeah.." She nodded slowly with a bit of a sigh. "Pretty.. wild huh..? I thought for sure I was going to be horribly scarred for life.. then just like that it started to close up and next thing we knew it was like it wasn't even there.." She set the donut down, not hungry anymore.

"Scarred, yeah," he nodded, partly agreeing and partly talking to himself. There were scratches and hints of smaller scars. That made no sense - why did that one seal and the others...? His eyebrow flashed up as he shook his head, unable to explain that in his own mind at the moment. She let the donut just sit there? Okay fine... He took it.

"Just before all that, though... you saw... whatever it was before all that, right? I mean, it's not every day you get to be in the room with a real psychic or anything...," he chuckled. He just rode in the car with one every day.

"Saw, felt, smelled.. tasted.. full body visions." She laughed dryly and sighed, standing up to pace the office a little, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't just see.. I live it. I experience the visions as a full on assault of the body and senses. Usually from the point of view of the victims."

"Usually, huh? That explains it, it wasn't the first time," he nodded, taking one of the last two bites of the donut. "I don't get it. Why don't they give you something to stop them ahead of time?"

"What.. explains what and why doesn't who give me something to stop what ahead of time?" She turned from her pacing, stopping and facing him with a confused expression.

"Instead of trying to claw your eyes out and anyone else's that tries to help you... Wesley seems pretty smart. Why don't they try to stop the visions if they're that bad? Get them before they start? I mean, sure, it's helpful to save the world or whatever, but if it does that much damage to you... whatever happened to 'don't kill the messenger'?"

"They killed the messenger." She said quietly, her eyes going distant as she thought of Doyle and of what she'd been through since that fateful kiss.. right before he scacrificed himself to save them.

He'd taken the last bite then and it stuck with the confusion. "What?" He chewed thoughtfully a moment, watching her. "But you're not a ghost or anything, right?" She caught his arm and clipped his face with her skull... he was pretty sure she was as warm as she was solid.

"No.. I'm not a ghost.. this close. But I'm stubborn and I like to get my way.. there was a loop hole.. and I get to be alive and here.. and help people. I'm Angel's connection to the powers that be." She held up her fingers as if to show him how close she'd come, which by the tiny space between her finger and thumb -it was very close.

Dean chuckled to himself... liked getting her way, he mused. Hadn't seen any of that, had they...? He popped his bottle of water out of his pocket and looked at it, putting it back away... holy water... might need that. He stood from the chair and went in search of something to wash down the small bit of donut. "Thought he was already dead... how much closer does he need to be?"

"Yeah well you know the powers that be don't like sending messages directly to their heroes. They like using a sidekick.. it usually messes up the fighting if the hero gets the skull crushing visions right before it." She laughed a little and shook her head. "It wasn't supposed to be me.. I was a tiny unexpected glitch."

"Yeah, well here's to being a glitch," he smirked, finding an unopened water from Gunn's earlier basement run. He raised in her honor and popped the plastic seal. "Thing is, that doesn't tell me why you got the gut removal and Sammy got thrown into the wall. Seems for something trying to tell you something, that's a little heavy handed, don'tcha think?"

"You're not the one who recieves the messages.. humans were never meant to. Glitches.." She nodded, she didn't have anything to toast with but he really had no idea just how right he was. "Heavy handed.. they are the powers that be, to get a message here to us.. well thats some major mojo at work. Big power, loud voice kind of thing. Who would pay attention to it if they whispered?"

"Dunno. I don't hear anything from any power outside my own... thank god. I just know the signs," he gasped out a refreshed exhale from the water. It felt good to be on a job, even if it had been a short one with a definite ending. "So let me get this straight," he said, thinking about it all and piecing things together, hoping to make sense of it. "You see things... Sammy sees things... You get signs, he gets signs... you get cut up in pieces... he gets scars...and you don't. Powers that be... in your book and we're after a butt load of demons in ours... what am I missing?"

"I get scars.." She unbuttoned the bottom buttons on the borrowed shirt and opened it to reveal the scar in her side. "Xander got kidnapped by Spike.. Oz and I found him.. and Willow.. kissing. I ran out of the room and fell through the floor, down to the next level, right on a nice broken piece of pipe. See.. I get scars.." Her fingers ran over the mark.

"You were bleeding when we left...," his eyebrow flashed up, wondering if she'd even dare to show him more or if she'd slap him stupid. He wasn't leering. He wanted to know... "You get a western union telegram from a dancing bear demon that leaves you with a tip...or claw actually.. about the size of a letter opener... you're down, we leave, it's all about the demon and we get back... and you're fine? Sorry, but it makes a guy like me kinda wonder who you're working for. I dunno... something to make it look good, get us out of the HQ a while... where're Gunn and Fred?"

Her hands set on her hips and her eyes narrowed on him. "You know what Dean.. go to hell!!.. You have no idea! What you're implying.. that.." She motioned with a finger and turned around shaking her head. "I didn't chose this.. not at first.. it was put on me. It was a gift!" She laughed.

"At first I couldn't understand it.. why me? Why Cordelia Chase? Why was I suffering? Why not Angel or anyone? Why me? What did I do to deserve it? It took the visions all but killing me for me to learn the answer.. and you know what I found out? I didn't deserve it.. I didn't do a damn thing to deserve this! But somebody thought I was special, someone felt I was deserving of this great responsibility and gift.."

"Someone loved me.. he kissed me right before leaping off to his death in order to save all of us and he passed his visions to me with that kiss. That was the glitch.. I was never supposed to have them, he was never supposed to give them to me, but in a moment that all changed, because he loved me. We never even had a date.. I never even knew until it was too late." She sat on the corner of the desk with a sigh.

"When you ask who I might be working for as if I might be evil or something.. you don't insult me, you insult him. I'm a little protective of his memory." She folded her arms, leveling her gaze on Dean. "Fred and Gunn went off to get better supplies than toilet paper and sponges in case we have any other emergencies. I didn't kill them in some diabolical plot. But I don't think you really care where they are.. you want to know about me.. what I am, why I healed.. why I'm so beautiful and nearly irresistable.." She smiled at the last and her eyes lit up. "The last part is easy.. I was born gorgeous."

He was caught, but only a little. He looked away with a sheepish and stylish grin, chuckling quietly into his water. "Yeah... right," he muttered. "Okay, so I'm sorry, but you know... I kinda like to know if I need to sleep with one eye open and a knife in my hand, silver bullet in the other. I don't like surprises. You should know that about me already." He sat back down in his chair and leaned back on the rear legs. "So if these powers that be didn't want you to have it...you already got one dead guy on your team. What happened to lover boy?"

"He sacrificed himself to save me, Angel, and a boat full of people that were about to be incinerated.. he fought the good fight.. One soldier down and the day was saved.." Her eyes shimmered with tears that she looked away to hide. "I told you.. we never even had a date, I didn't know he loved me.. I mean I knew he liked me.. but just not that it was that deep.. I just figured he thought I was pretty.. " She shifted back on the desk and pulled her legs up to sit indian style, resting her arms on her knees. "About ten minutes before he died.. I found out that he was a half breed. Human mother, demon father.. he grew up thinking he was human, he didn't even know until he was an adult.. "

Cordy licked her lips and looked over at Dean. "So.. he died, I get the visions.. I'm totally human and the force of the visions start to kill me, brain damage, every vision destroys a little more for about two years.. they get more painful, more violent.. I went to doctors, said I had migranes.. they gave me pills upon pills upon pills.. I couldn't find anything that worked, they did catscans.. it was litterally killing my brain.. and on my twenty first birthday I got the vision to end all visions. It blew me across the room, I hit the weapons cabinet and then.. my body was laying on the floor and I was looking at it. Watching Angel, Fred, Gunn, Lorne, and Wes all frantically trying to help me.. and thats when I learned about why and how I ended up with the visions and I was given a choice. I could give up the visions and the powers would change one moment in my life and set my path on a different course, the one I was 'supposed to have'. Complete with fame, money, adoring fans and.. well everything I'd set out to have when I first went to L.A. The other option was keep the visions, go back to my life as it was and have them kill me. Everything I thought I ever wanted or die painfully by most likely having a vision blow the back of my skull out. Doesn't seem like it would be that hard of a choice does it?"

[Lovely]

June 4, 2009
mid morning
Angel Investigations

Cordy came in the office, bursting - or quite nearly - this morning. They both noticed but either fear or manners kept them quiet until she was just out of hearing.

Angel was staring after her, nearly pouting it seemed. Wesley sighed, almost groaning as he glanced at the door and back to the pale man. "Brooding about it won't help. She didn't notice you looking broody before, so stop staring. You're making me nervous," Wes added, trying to ignore the thick and heavy air full of 'brood'.

"Not brooding Wes, it's longing. Did you see that rack? That's one to write home about," he considered. Angel looked around the empty office, not seeing Cordy in sight, his hands motioning out the noticeable curves.

"Alright. Moody, then," Wes corrected himself, shifting in his chair to pull his other knee up to rest his book on, and adjust comfortably. He'd noticed but wasn't so rude to point things like that out, at least not when he was sober. Cordy came around the corner suddenly and he nearly dropped his book just then. He agreed, completely, with Angel's comment and found himself looking at her funny, purposely not looking below her chin. "Cordelia...Nice morning isn't it? Though I heard it might rack later... RAIN... I meant... rain."

Cordelia had only been out of the room for only a short time but was left wondering what had happened while she was gone, the way Wesley was looking at her, had her slightly worried. It was his comment that gave her a clue as to what the fuss was about. "Uh huh.. yeah.. nice morning. You alright Wes?.. you're turning funny colors." She teased him with a smile as she shifted over to take her seat again, picking up the book she'd been looking through before leaving the room. "It's not my fault they've grown since highschool.." She murmured softly, but made sure it was loud enough to be heard.

"It was Angel who said it," he clarified, clearing his throat and hiding behind his book again. He thought perhaps she'd been dressing to show herself off but then their pay lately hadn't left much for food let alone new clothes. She did have the gods on her side, however... very much, he thought to himself, re-reading the same page a fourth time. "Highschool wasn't the issue then, just timing... bloody timing," he grumbled about then and now out loud.

She turned a sharp glare at Angel and then shifted her expression to an arched brow and back in Wesley's direction. "Awww Wesley... it wasn't timing.." She reminded him half cold and half playful in her tone. "It was your kissing skills." She felt slightly smug at getting that comment in but then sighed softly, feeling just as bad for taunting him. They had been good friends through all this time and it wasn't nice of her to rub in a couple of bad kisses and besides, there was one fantastic kiss that happened when he first arrived in L.A. If only he'd kissed her like that back in Sunnydale.. "I thought you were over me anyway.. I think too much of myself.." It wasn't as if she hadn't heard the comments they all made about her now and then, some were even made to her face. Wes couldn't still like her.. could he? That was almost as unbelievable as Angel checking her out.

He couldn't defend himself, not with Angel looking her over like that. He looked up from his book and then grumbled more, burrowing deeper into it, maybe hoping it held a portal that would swallow him up.

Angel made no apologies for the comment or the glances now as she occupied her attention with teasing Wesley, even if he was an easy target. He smiled for himself and sank down with more of his own book, flipping a page that seemed to hold his attention away from their conversation for the moment.

Wesley was so cute when he grumbled, it was hard to resist getting him going just a little more. She smiled and leaned up out of her chair to pull the top of his book down a little and peek over it at him. "Now, now.. no secrets Wesley.." She paused for effect and then finished the comment. "What have you discovered?"

He glanced up, folding the book closed. "No secrets, Miss... Chase. It was duty that made the difference. Timing, like I said. What I've discovered is that you're quite good at interrupting a very good novel. Novel... see?" He showed the cover again that appeared to be a well-worn and simple paperback for a change. "What others do for pleasure is their business..." He glanced pointedly at Angel.

"Miss Chase? When did we go back to miss Chase?.. Oh geez Wesley, you really are strung up tight!" She sighed and gave Wes an exsaperated look as she slid off the desk. "Angel help me out here.. I think Wes is getting more broody than you are."

"I'm not broody. You're lucky he realizes you're even a woman, Cordy. He gets pleasure from... books." Angel grinned lightly and turned his chair around to face her. "Doesn't even have pictures."

"Ohhh does your book have pictures?" She moved off Wesley's desk and came over to his. "Come on Angel at least I have a teeny tiny chance to get some with him.." She stuck her tongue out and held out her book to him. "Trade with me, mine doesn't have pictures either and I don't know how to spell this thing's name."

Wesley scowled and leaned back in his chair. "Fine. It's not as hard as that, i before e except after q and silent b. Uyopomomib, the blasphemer. You don't want to see a picture, believe me. It has seven... look, never mind what it has, it's here or on its way and it seems to like ice cream. At least dry ice which seems to give it energy. It's ridiculous and disgusting. And I'm not going."

"Oh.. and I'm supposed to go? I have a feeling this is going to be something that gets me all wet and slimey.. I'm going to be covered in goo.. aren't I? Why do I always get the slime?" She huffed and opened her book again, giving both of them scowls. ""Why aren't you going?"

"He doesn't want to go," Angel shrugged. "How bad can it be? Seven... whatever it has still gives you three in ten you'll come out without slime. I'll go. Where's Gunn. Anyone seen Gunn?"

"No. I don't know where Gunn is.. he hasn't been back. I didn't say I wouldn't go.. I just hate demon slime.. it always ends up in my bra!" She made a pouty face and blinked at Angel. "Can we bring some slime back for Wesley?"

"Maybe a big red cherry on top, too?" He winked and tossed his pictureless book on the desk by Wes. "Guess we're going without them both. We'll do something about your bra when we get back."

"As long as it's not my cherry." She set her book down. "Wesley.. it has seven whats and how much slime are we talking? Should I put my rubber boots on just in case?" She swung her legs on the desk and sighed. "What kind of weapons are we bringing? and you know if I'm going to get slimed at work this often, we're going to have to talk about putting in a bra budget."

"Not much slime, so don't worry. It's got ... well here," he said, not able to really say. He pulled out a sheet of paper and started to sketch enough to give her the idea. "Those. With teeth on each. It eats dry ice, carbon, it's frozen, Cordelia. Axes should work I think," he said, looking to them both for a confirmation of their opinion.

"Axes... nice. I like axes. They're big and shiny. Sure you don't to join in the fun, Wesley?"

Cordy laughed at the axes comment while trying not to cringe at the picture Wesley was drawing. "Ohhh I better not get slime.. it better be frozen and.. none of those better touch me.. anywhere." She pointed and looked at Angel. "Promise me you won't let any of those touch me. I swear, I'll shine up your weapon when we come home. I'll bring you blood for a week. I'll.. okay what do you want? I'm a little desperate here.." She reached back to start unzipping her skirt so she could change into the pants she had stashed in the office.

"Blood for a week? Okay... bunny slippers. You know how Anyanka gets around bunnies. Oh... more of that," he admitted, watching the reach to her skirt, though he tried not to watch too closely since the subject of axes and whacking had come up already. "Shine away, Cordy, let's just get going."

"Angel!" She turned with a mock look of shock and her mouth open in an 'O' of surprise, wiggling the skirt down just a little but not really showing anything until she turned again to go into the office. "Fine.. bunny slippers, strip shows, polishing your weapon.. anything else?" She called out with the door partially open as she changed her skirt and into boots.

"Bra and ooze," he added, ticking a check-mark in the air with a smile and watching a bit around the open door as she changed though he couldn't see much. He sighed and turned back toward Wesley. "Plenty more where that came from, Wes. I'm in a giving mood, willing to share."

"You're always in a mood," Wes shot back over his book.

"Oh.. you are a bucket of laughs mister! You better have saved up your dollar bills buddy because I have moves that you haven't seen, ones I've been saving up for when it's my turn to be the bad bad naughty one!" She laughed and came out, bending over to tuck her pant leg over her boot. "If we get this thing early enough.. can we go to a nice, clean.. dinner somewhere?"

"Ehht, nah, I'm out. But dessert...?" They both watched over the desk as Cordelia posed, shoulders down and her hands playing over the leather on her boots, but Angel had the pleasure of being on the right side of the desk for the close-up.

Wesley's commentary stopped with the book in his hand being tossed back down on the desk. He stood up suddenly as if bitten by a mouse. "I'll go. See? I'm going. We'll go."

"See the promise of a good dinner.. you should always let me do the persuasion.. " She looked up at Angel and puckered him a kiss silently as she winked and straightened up, turing to brush a kiss on Wesley's cheek. "See, I knew you didn't have the heart to let me get slimed. He loves us Angel, he just has strange ways of showing it."

"I just want to be sure you don't go to the most expensive steakhouse on the company. We can't afford it," he reminded her quietly.

"Yeah, funny," Angel agreed, handing Wes one of the axes from the lock-up. "I've got this one, which do you want, Cordy?"

"Ooo I get to choose? Usually you just hand me the one you don't want." She clapped and bounced a little as she came up beside him and selected her axe. "I like this one.. doesn't it just scream Cordy to you?" She stepped back away from them and swung it gently a few times and ways to get a feel for how it handled. "Ohh yeah come to momma.. this is alll me."

[Lovely]

June 6, 2009
Very early morning


Dean looked at the frame of the door carefully and around the step. He'd have to talk to the others about warding or at least dropping some salt down when they had the chance. He stepped in and closed the door quietly though it still echoed in the large lobby. His eyes were taking a moment to adjust, seeing some movement near the office. His hand reached forward to keep her still a moment, just a precaution. "Shh... " It was automatic, even though he expected at least one of the others to be up and around. He grasped the rifle a little tighter.

"Ohhkay.." She whispered and took a step back, spinning and scooting behind him, her hands gently grasping his waist. "You can go first."

"It's a hotel, Mr Winchester. Guests are usually expected. Please put that away before you hurt someone. Oh... good morning. I thought he was talking to himself. He does that for attention," Wesley grinned, approaching the couple and turning on another light for them to see by. "Oh my... I... " He looked at the girl hiding behind Dean now that he could see her and stammered, stunned.

"You... Wesley... her... not interested. What are you doing in the dark, man? I could have shot your head off for trying to loot the damned place. Are we all that piss poor you can't read by a regular light or are you playing Abraham Lincoln in the school play this year?" Dean locked the safety on the rifle and stepped aside for better introductions.

Phoebe let go of Dean's waist once the two started up a banter of sorts and she slowly stepped around beside him, looking at him for a moment. "So this is one of your friends.. okay.. Hi.. Phoebe." She reached out her hand to Wesley and gave a bright smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Phoebe...?" Wesley repeated in a lost whisper as if he were speaking to ghosts... again. He was awed and took her hand gently. "You're... it's not... Halliwell, is it? Mr Winchester, what have you done?"

"Done? Whoa... hold on. Is this your long lost niece or something, cuz I didn't lay a hand on her. Well I would have since she threatened to kill me, but ... no ut-uhn...," he waved off and stepped around them as the space with them in it seemed to close around him a moment.

"What?.. Dean..?" She watched him step back and shook her head. "Nice.. real nice." Phoebe bit her lip a little as she looked back to Wesley and her smile came out again in a nervous expression along with a small chuckle. "As a matter of fact it is Halliwell.. um.. I don't believe we've met before.." She motioned between herself and the cute guy with the english accent. As often as they met people who knew them, it never stopped surprising or throwing her off a little when it happened.

"We have, but you wouldn't remember," Wesley said vaguely. He shook his head. "That is, I know you. You're not... you wouldn't know me, but that's not important." He looked at the closed door and back at Dean. "Where are the others?"

"Others? What others? Why, did Sam slip out somewhere? Cordy, Angel? Everybody out partying without me?"

Phoebe was confused and looked from one to the other watching them and wondering if they were going to fill her in or.. "Um.. hi again.. could we get back to the you knowing me but me not knowing you.. just for a minute.. who are you?"

"Someone very interested in why you're here. Wesley... Wesley Wyndam Pryce. It's...well it's sort of my duty to know who you are. I didn't mean to frighten you." He let go of her hand, stepping back then hissing at Dean, "Her sisters, you lunkhead. Are they alright?"

"Your duty? Great, well officer, gee, I didn't happen to meet her sisters at the gas station, just her, so I really couldn't tell ya. What are you talking about 'duty'? You read papers and act like a snob. What kinda duty is that?"

"Woah Dean... easy there killer. Not everything is what it appears to be.. or everyone.." She looked at Dean a long moment and then back to Wesley with a slight smile. "Okay now what he said, minus the insults.. what do you mean it's your duty?"

"Simply that, Miss Halliwell. Perhaps better explained with the title. I'm a watcher. I'm not sure your grandmother gave you that much information before she died, though... about us. A watcher, one who watches and guides, for those uninitiated," he offered to Dean in case he didn't 'get it' the first time.

"Why can't he read Playboy like everyone else," Dean muttered under his breath before turning to escort Phoebe the rest of the way in. "I think he's saying 'friend I am, I mean you no harm' or something. Come on in and sit down. The third degree is more comfortable on a leather sofa anyway. I don't suppose it's in your dutiful power to get the nice lady a drink?"

"Watcher? Uh.. well no Grams didn't tell us much before she died.. umm is it anything like a Whitelighter? That's kind of how Leo describes what he does.." She spoke to Wesley but followed Dean as he led her to sit on a couch, she offered him a smile as she curled down onto the leather.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. We're teachers, really, but something went terribly wrong. Not too many of us left, so... well, the rules have been bent with no one left to enforce them," he said with an air of sadness. He closed off the disturbing memory of Wolfram's nasty business and offered a grin in its place. "Certainly, a drink. What would you like?"

"Sometimes he even says things that the rest of us can understand," Dean said, trying to put together what the Brit was talking about this time. "Watcher, teacher, maybe he just thinks you're cute, I dunno."

Her eyebrow went up at Dean's comments and she licked her lips, looking between the two men. "Um.. what do you have? I'm good with a bottled water, if you have it.. "

Wesley's glare pierced out behind his glasses. He replied calmly, "I teach slayers their craft, Mr Winchester. Without someone to enforce the rules set down from the powers that be, I could teach witches to slay schoolboys for a song. Water?"

"Somebody hit a nerve," he grinned, scoffing slightly at the tone. Let him try. "Water's fine, thanks. I had a feeling she might want to talk to you guys exactly about why she's here, but since you brought it up, maybe you should start, Wes."

"That actually sounds like a good idea.. thank you." her voice softened a bit as she glanced up at Dean, he'd been snippy with Wes but he'd been trying to help her.. sweet. She patted the couch next to her scooting over a little so he could sit down next to her.

Wesley took a step and Dean darted down to the spot on the couch ahead of him. "No ice, thanks," he said, putting in the rest of his order and keeping himself as a shield between Wes and Phoebe until he had a better idea the nutty professor wasn't going to try and slay her for a song and dance either.

Wes stopped and glanced between the two. "Start thinking about how you arrived first. I'll need to know the details, please. I'll be right back."

She smiled a bit and nodded to Wesley, letting him go off to get their drinks. Taking in a deep breath she pulled her messenger bag open slipping her cell phone from the slot in the front. "I'm just going to call my sister really quick." She told Dean, and dialed.

Prue answered and she explained in very simple terms that she wouldn't be home for awhile, that she was looking into some information, and she'd call when she knew more. "What.. yes. Yes.. Prue, go to bed I'm fine. I just didn't want you to worry. Okay.. yes... I love you..." She hung up and slipped the phone away, rubbing her hands down her legs. "She's going to stay up and worry anyway."

"I know the type," he muttered, watching the phone and trying to catch information from the screen, but he didn't have a good angle. He'd have to trust that the call was legitimate and not some hotline to demon central, giving them a homing signal on their little operation. It seemed to lack that blood component at least. "Hm. Cell service but no donuts. Maybe there's still hope. Listen, before he comes back, I honestly don't know what all that was that he's talking about. Do you?"

"No, not really but he did compare it to something I do know a little about. So I kind of understand.. maybe.." The sighed chuckle was soft and light as she leaned back.

"What did you call it? I might be able to get some more information on the both of them when Sammy gets up. If you're here and Wes can't even figure out why, then something's up."

"Whitelighter.. he's.. kind of our guide.. sort of an advisor, a source of information.. sometimes he gives us 'work'. You know points us in the direction of the big bad or the innocent we need to protect."

"That's almost too Star-Wars for words," he muttered, trying to wrap his mind around anything that didn't say 'jedi'. "That and almost too much like... yeah, well I know that type, too." Something about all this was making him edgey, maybe that he hadn't tried to sleep yet and visions of blood and dust in his head weren't helping.

"I'm sorry it's a lot to take in.. I probably shouldn't have told you.. I just.. I spend so much time lying to everyone I meet and to come across someone who.. anyway It's too late now, I can't untell you. We're probably not going to get burgers together again, huh? Yeah.." She leaned and put her face in her hands, her chin resting in her palms as she looked straight ahead with a small sigh. "I should have known it was too easy."

[Lovely]

June 6, 2009
10am

With Faith conquering mankind in the room next to hers, it was no wonder Cordy was kind of b*tchy. Here she had Angel, Doyle, Dean, possibly even still Wes and Xander who all 'like and care and are attrached' to her, but still no boyfriend, not 'getting any'.. didn't even get flowers or dates...

Gunn spoke up. "Someone get flowers? There's no card," he called out, flipping the blank paper over and over, looking to see if any message would appear as he carried the delivery into the office.

"They are not for me.. probably for Dean." She mutters and doesn't look up.

"Ouch, hey, they shouldn't be mine. Usually don't get flowers after I've been slapped," he admitted, though he grinned, coming in right behind Gunn and walking behind her. "Morning sunshine. No donuts?" He looked but saw no bag, no newspaper, not much of anything to get his day going beyond a good ribbing, if Chase was up to it.

"I wouldn't get her started, Mister Winchester. She's already in a 'mooood'," Wesley warned.

"Who slapped you this time? Or did you not get her name?" She glanced up at Dean with a 'sweet' smile and then looked at Wes with an arched brow. "I am not in a mood.. I just didn't get much sleep.. does Faith's room really have to be that close to mine? Seriously all that grunting and bed squeaking.. I almost went to sleep in his room." She hooked her thumb back at Dean.

"Really?" He shot a look that held a surprised smile that he quickly hid. "You... could switch rooms any time. Hotel - lots of vacancies." He thumbed back behind himself to the stairs. "Didn't say I got slapped by anyone, just really meant... no one ever sends me flowers." He found an apple and leaned on the counter, beginning to nibble on it with a telling smile.

"I don't want to switch rooms.. I like my room.. I bought paint and.. shush.. she should move, I was here first and I don't.. squeak my bed all night with boy toys I pick up.. hey! maybe the flowers are for Faith.. too bad there is no name on the card cause I'm sure she didn't get his last night." She looked over at Dean again and smiled. "No one sends me flowers anymore either.. so if they aren't mine and not yours... hmmm Wes?"

"Allergic, so no. Thank you. You really think... ? Please, Cordelia. As if my feelings are ever a consideration, hm? Oh look... someone's selling a mule for only $50," he said, snapping the ads back up to closer inspection and ignoring the other two. "She might have on the first one, but I'm sure she didn't on the second," he mentioned off hand about Faith's visitors.

Gunn chuckled. "Wes's probably on to something there. I was up between shifts. Girl's busy, I'll give her that much. Wonder if we shouldn't start charging rates by the hour, here."

"You guys really wonder why I get just a tiny bit cranky sometimes?" Cordy smiled oh so sweetly. "Between head exploding visions and work and not sleeping thanks to princess grunt and spank.. you all should be happy you're still alive right now!" She laughed and gave them all 'looks'. "..and Wes.. I do consider your feelings.. " She pulled the paper down to look at him with a pout.

Wesley glanced up, pushing his specs up his nose as she pouted. "Thank you," he said quietly, though there was little else he could say. He'd tried and once was enough for him to realize her magic was one sided, or at least that's what she'd led him to believe. "Are you having another vision now?" His concern pulled the paper down into a haphazard fold onto the table as he moved to help her, just in case. In a strange way he was hopeful - they needed a paying assignment.

"Look, um why not ask the delivery guy who they're for, huh? Maybe they just didn't fill it out. Small town, everyone knows everyone? Okay, maybe not," Dean shrugged and moved off the counter. "And just maybe they were for you, huh? Could be a secret admirer," he added with another smile as he headed back to the stairs to find Sam.

She frowned for real and shook her head to Wesley's concern and question. "No, of course not, cause we could use one now.." She patted his arm softly and slumped back into her chair. "Thanks.." Her eyes lifted to Dean as he went on about the flowers and her eyebrow arched, she let him go off and just shook her head. "They're not for me.. nobody likes me since I stopped being shallow and superficial.. I was the most horrible b*tch in high school and all the boys loved me.. now I am mature and have depth and.. Wes.. you knew me then.. what is so worse about me now? Did getting less b*tchy make me less pretty?"

"I'm not really qualified to answer that," Wes slithered out of that trap carefully. "Someone mentioned breakfast. Is anyone else hungry?"

"Starving. Please tell me you have real food, not anything with legs and spines and ... hey, they got here! Great!" Xander crossed paths with Dean on the stairs and the apple made his stomach growl loudly. He lit up the moment he saw the flowers on the desk.

"Hmm.. well I was hungry. You all get what you want. I've had about enough legs and spines for a while after that show last night," Gunn mentioned, feeling a little queazy from the talk about Faith and food.

"See told you they weren't for me." She gave Wes and Gunn looks again and took Wesley's non answer as a yes. Her face wasn't holding its usual spark and sass. "Well at least now I know why nice girls.. forget it.." She glanced up at Xander with a small smile. "Anya will love them.. you have a great taste." Her smile was genuine as she set aside her own troubles to give him some reassurance.

"Huh? Didn't you get the card? Gunn, where's the card?" Xander was truly confused and the looks on faces weren't helping. "Did... did I miss something?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," Wesley snipped with a smile. "No card. They're not for Anyanka?"

Gunn held up the card though he leaned on the counter, flipping it around. "Blank."

"If they aren't for Anya.. who are they for?" Cordy leaned an arm on the desk, she'd been sharing with Wes until the flowers showed up and got everyone all curious.

Xander looked around the room at several pairs of eyes and kept a watchful look out to the stairs for Anya... "They're not for Anya... Cordy, they're supposed to be for you. Huh, guess they just forgot the card. Good thing I didn't try poetry or anything."

She was silent and just stared at him for a minute, then laughed a short typical Cordy laugh, then was quiet again as she looked at Xander's face. "Wait.. you're serious.. they're for me?" Her voice was considerably softer as she got up to come look at the flowers and still glancing at his face. "but... but.. why?"

"It was supposed to say that on the card too," he sighed. He felt really embarrassed now and scratched his neck. His hands dug into his pockets and he shrugged. "Thanks... and a sort of apology that's long... way long overdue."

Her eyebrow arched up and she leaned on the counter facing him. "That's really sweet.. but.. what for.. and what for?"

"You thought of me... us.. to come out here to help. That's kinda pretty special and I just thought...," he was having a hard time with the words and his face was deepening red. "Look, it's just a thanks and they were pretty, okay?"

"Xander I.." She blushed a little and looked past his shoulder. "Thank you..." She spoke softly and fingered the edge of the flower wrapping. Glancing around and seeing it was 'clear', no ex-vengence demons in sight.. Cordy leaned up and over the desk to kiss his cheek. "They're beautiful." She stepped back, scooping the flowers up and walking towards the kitchen to get some water for them. Sniffing their light fragrance and smiling as she went into the other room.

Anya may not be demon any longer, but her temper and ability to ramble on while pissed was something that made Xander's eyes watch the stairs again and slump against the counter, taking a deep breath. He didn't want her to hate him, he just wanted things... kinda as they used to be.

Cordy came back out a few minutes later, humming softly, still smiling and seeming a lot brighter than she had all morning. She had the flowers in a vase she'd found and set them on the desk, turning them so they looked just right. Cordy glanced over to Xander and beamed him a wide trademark grin and bit her lower lip. "So.. did you say you were hungry? Let's go get some breakfast.."

He lifted his head, making sure he was still breathing and not about to get staked. His finger pointed at his chest. "Who.. me? I did, but...," he looked around to Gunn and Wes, no sign of Angel, and Dean had gone upstairs. "Guess you mean me. Sure. As long as you're buying since... well, that pay.. thing... yeah. So, where are we going?"

"Hush Xander." She warned him with a different sort of look and then a wink as she grabbed her purse. "Besides, we paid you.. some.." She was around the counter and looping her arm with his. "Come on.."

He glanced to the flowers with a guilty sigh and followed along. "We used to do this, you know?"

She turned her head to the side and tilted it slightly as she regarded him. "What do you mean?"

"Okay, maybe only once or twice, but going out. Maybe it was too boring to remember," he shrugged. It was 'going out' even it was breakfast, not to a party or anything.

[Lovely]

"I wasn't sure if you were talking about the teasing." She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment. "..and don't put yourself down like that.. That's my job, remember?" She laughed and picked her head up, bumping into him to tell him she was teasing him again. "It wasn't too boring to remember.. I remember.." Her voice fell to a softer tone at the last as they went outside. "Okay so either we're taking your car or we're walking... I don't have a car."

"We're taking the car," he said, swallowing dryly. He had to admit it was disconcerting to think that maybe Anya wasn't 'alright' with things and she still had some vengeful streak in her. Hopefully not against his car, though. He smiled weakly. "Thanks.. for remembering. Well, this is it."

She looked at the car and refrained from any snide remarks. "It's great.. let's go." She unlooped her arm from his and stepped up to get into the passenger side of the car. She was curious why he wasn't with Anya and would probably ask him very very soon cause curiosity was definitely a weakness for her.

It looked as intact as it ever was and he took a deep breath. He nearly forgot. Coming back around, he unlocked her side first, though why he even bothered locking it, he wasn't sure. He opened the door for her. "Madame...," he said, then coughed, trying not make this too formal. It was just breakfast.

The smile he got for the gesture was probably enough to tell him she enjoyed the special treatment. Cordy got into the car and let him close the door, she glanced around at the interior while she waited for him to get in. Okay no comments, not saying anything mean he's being very nice, she told herself.

She smiled at him and he waited a moment for the comment that usually followed. He blinked as she slid in silently instead. He closed the door and ran his hand down his jeans, mopping it dry. It's only Cordy, he reminded himself. He gathered himself together a little better and came around to his side, getting in just as quietly and staring at the wheel a long moment.

She sat there quietly and then started to fidgit a bit, finally half turning and putting her hand on his arm. "Xander.. are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Just... hoping we get there," he nodded, finally turning the key and hoping the car didn't blow up. He knew it was ridiculous to think anything like that would happen, but was relieved when it really didn't.

"Is the car really that bad? We can walk.. it's not a big deal." She'd forgotten how sensitive he could get about some things, and now honestly thought he was worried about the way the car ran as she remembered a few instances when he got all worried about stuff.

"Nope. She's fine. Everything's... fine. Really." He glanced over everything to be sure then turned with a twitchy grin. "Fine. We'll drive, it's okay. Where to?" It was a big deal, though and he wasn't doing a good job trying to hide it.

"Okay.." She shook her head a little and pointed straight ahead, as if to say start driving silly. "There is a diner on .. oh street names.. Bradbury.. the corner of Bradbury and Main st.. There, see I remembered.. and they are just a normal diner, regular food.. sound good?" He still seemed edgy and she wasn't sure why, she was trying very hard not to just demand to know.

"Sounds good. I really do like real food, especially without commentary about how a pork chop reminds someone of their uncle back home." He raised an eyebrow at himself.. he was being snippy and wasn't sure why.

She laughed and shook her head. "Well I don't think we have to worry about that part, since we know each other's families.. okay not normal but not porkchops." She flashed him another smile, holding back still but she wasn't going to be able to keep the questions back for long.

"Thanks, I appreciate that. Huh, guess we coulda walked. Bradbury - here we are," he noted, pulling in. "Cozy."

"Yeah, it seemed a lot farther away when we were at the hotel." She stayed in the car looking at the small diner and chewing her lip gently. "They better have really good french toast here." She said instead of blurting out what else was in her head.

There once was a time with her that the mention of french toast was followed by a tirade of someone wanting her to get fat and whatever followed after that that he usually ducked away from. Maybe she wasn't even talking about that now. "But... y-... Yeah, maybe. Sounds good, maybe I'll join you."

"Or.. you could get something different and we could share." She turned her head with a wiggling eyebrow and a tempting grin. ".. and.. bacon.. you like bacon right?"

He looked at her and back at the parking lot. Enough weird things were already happening, it seemed just like home in Sunnydale, though not quite as eerie, and far more people out in the daylight thankfully. "Um... bacon. O-...kaaaay. Are you feeling okay, Cor?"

[Lovely]

"Yeah, I'm starving!" She reached over and pushed his arm a little. "Aren't you?" She rubbed her tummy a bit and reached for the door handle. She'd filled out since high school, developed more womanly curves but by no means was fat or even chunky, if anything her shape was more defined, lean, muscular where it hadn't been in her 'lazy life' before. Sure cheeleading and running from danger kept her in decent shape but since joining Angel in L.A. her full time job of hunting, fighting, slaying, and training had shaped her into something far better. It also made her realize how easy and soft her life had been before. She could say some of the same for Xander as it was clear he wasn't a skinny weakling anymore. His arms were.. mmm mmm muscley, okay so she'd totally checked him out and saw the bulk and muscle in his arms, shoulders, chest and..

She glanced over at him with a smile and chuckled, thank goodness he wasn't a mind reader! "Come on will ya.. don't leave a hungry girl waiting!" She teased, giving his hand a tug before she slipped out of the car.

"After you," he offered, looking at his hand that was tugged, strangely expecting claw marks, maybe acid... slime would be normal... though not from Cordy. One thing was still normal and she hated slime, thank god for something he could still hold onto. He chuckled and wiggled his fingers that were undamaged, though tingling a little. Her hands were cool.. maybe she was nervous, too? Xander got out and looked around again, feeling a little exposed and realizing his sack of useful things was up in the room out of reach. What could go wrong in a happy diner by daylight, anyway, right? He came up beside Cordy and opened the door for her, following her in to the smells of coffee and... "French toast. How about that. The special," he pointed out, almost excitedly.

She bounced and made her happy noise, grabbing his arm gently again. "Oo! I know what I'm getting." The smile flashed again and she turned, looking around at the choice of seats. "Oh a booth.. over there.." She pointed and looked over at him. ".. is that good for you?"

"If it's okay with the lady of the house. Morning," he nodded politely to the lady at the counter and motioned to the booth for a nod that they could sit there. Cordy was confusing him more and he had to ask as they sat down pretty much by themselves. "And thank you... for asking. Are you sure you're okay?"

Cordy laughed a little as they sat down, smiling across the table at Xander. "Why do you keep asking me if I'm okay? I'm fine.. better than fine, I'm great. I'm having breakfast with you, what could be wrong?" Suddenly her face fell a bit and she reached up feeling her forehead and nose. "I.. I'm not sprouting horns or something am I? oh god.. I knew it..I am aren't I?"

"No horns, not visible ones anyway. Stop it. You look fine," he reached for her hand, trying to keep her from drawing attention. He didn't notice that he hadn't let go. "It's just good to see you." He smiled a crooked bashful smile as he admitted it... he missed her.

She lowered her face a little and 'peeked' at him a small smile on her face which turned into a cute pout as she caught his gaze. "Just.. fine.. ?" It was an obvious fish, but she hoped the power of her cuteness would work. Her lashes batted and her fingers curled gently around his as he held onto her hand.

"Stop. I'm not completely immune and right now it might work too good. You look just like I remembered... a little stressed, unhappy, but... Yeah, you look good," he nodded, coming back to the word he wanted.

"Stressed and unhappy?" She asked him softly, dropping the cute act, though not his hand. "You look better than I remember." She admitted, biting her lower lip a little. "Not that you were bad or anything before.."

He chuckled and looked around the room. She put him on the spot and he tried to gracefully exit as he always did, but not completely this time. He looked back at her and shook his head. "Go ahead, make me feel guilty for being honest. It's true, you look good, Cordy, just like this is too much for you right now. I didn't know about the visions, okay? I wish I could help."

She looked down at the table and nodded her head a little. "Please.. don't feel bad. The visions are hard but they aren't new. I've been dealing with them since a few months after I came out to L.A. There's nothing you can do about them.. I .. it's my choice now to deal with them."

"Okay, so it's your choice, but can't I say I want to still help? That was pretty scary .. and we've seen scary." He tapped his hand, realizing she still had hold of it. He clenched lightly and looked back at her. "I don't get it."

"Okay.. you can say that and thank you, it's sweet of you to want to." She gave a softer smile than the usual brilliant one that flashed and she sighed quietly. "Don't get what?"

"Why you're taking me out to breakfast and not the other guys. I mean, Angel, that's kinda a given, but what's the deal with Wes? I mean you two were like the best of friends I thought, or maybe I don't really know... and that new guy?"

"What about Wes? Yeah we're friends and close, been through a lot since we teamed up.. I have had breakfast with him plenty.. and Dean? Well he's.. Dean.. and you're.. Xander." She smiled and lifted her eyes to meet his, something warm and sweet in them. "The other guys didn't send me flowers did they?"

"So now I know the cast list, in case I forget who I am," he grinned. "So never? Not even once? I'm sorry. Okay, well it's not like I send flowers all the time either. Cuz I usually can't, but... you know... working now, right?" He looked over at the pie card and pulled it out to start looking over the offerings.

She sighed and folded her hands on the table. "Confession?" She gave him a questioning half hopeful look and sort of smile. "Horribly traumatic for me to admit this to you.. considering.. but no flowers or dates, not for a long time.. a few years. Some dates before that, most didn't make it to a second, the last real boyfriend I had was you."

"Confession, huh? Thanks? Guess we need to do something, I guess, like celebrate or whatever that's supposed to mean." He put the card down and sighed.

"Is that something to celebrate -I learn how to be a real person and can't get dates anymore?" She chuckled and reached to put her hand over his. "I didn't want you to.. know I guess. I saw you with Anya and how you'd managed to have someone special in your life and I didn't and haven't for a long time.. and then I remembered how mean I was and I guess this is my payback.. "

"Out of my life," he clarified quietly, looking for something else to read suddenly. There really wasn't anywhere else to look but up. His expression was darker than normal and he looked cornered, which didn't help him by sitting in the corner as they were.

[Lovely]

"What?" Her expression went from shy and embarrassed to confused and she tipped her head to the side. "Xander?"

"Out," he made a noise like a pfft and motioned his fingers in a 'sweep' like he'd dusted and rid himself of something. His lips were still curled from the sound and blew a puff of air upward. He sat back, looking exhausted and if she looked closer she'd realize he really hadn't slept. "It was over after the almost wedding. Now.. it's really over."

"You.. you mean you and Anya?" She spoke softly, her face registering the surprise and she sat back against the bench, one eyebrow arched slightly. "Wow.. I.. I'm sorry." She was still holding his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Are.. are you okay? Here I was all jeaulous.. and..Wait.. did you say almost wedding? You guys were.. wow.. again."

"Were, but it's been a while now. I couldn't do it. I don't know what I was thinking, but I couldn't do it. She thought... I guess... when I got back and we... um... I guess she thought we were back together and I tried, but..," he spoke in bits and pieces with his head shaking a little. "Yeah... wow."

"But.. it wasn't working?" She offered, somewhat timidly, trying to help him fill in the gaps as he struggled with telling her. The waitress finally walked up as Cordy was reaching over to take his other hand in hers. "We'll just start with an orange juice and the french toast special, with a side of bacon.. and coffee." She added noticing how he looked tired too. "and we'll need a few minutes for the rest." She smiled at the girl and then looked back at Xander.

"And I thought I was hungry," he chuckled, not sure he really recognized the girl with him now. His head thumped back against the cushioned booth. "She's too fascinated by other people's pain, Cordy. I can't look past it anymore. She didn't let me get up to help you. You could have... " His eyes closed a moment and he turned to look out the window.

She chuckled at his comment about hungry. "I was going to share.. at least a half of slice with you." She tried to fish his smile back out a little, holding his hands and leaning on the table some. "You were really that worried about me? Xander.. it's okay, look I'm fine, right? Don't beat yourself up about that okay. and.. to Anya's credit she was a vengence demon for eleven hundred years or so, you can't fault her for being fascinated. But you also don't have to pretend that it doesn't bother you or that her stopping you from helping someone is okay.. I guess I'm saying I understand and that I'm not holding it against either one of you for how you feel."

"Sure you can. I do. She's had twelve centuries to warm up and be nice. I fell for her, she's beautiful, she's smart... about weird things but you know, thinking about it, I think the only reason may be because she didn't really ever insult me personally... much."

"Like I did.. every chance I got." She countered softly, letting go of his hands and folding hers together closer to her. She looked down at them, pouting a bit but only because she actually felt bad for .. some of the way she'd treated him.

"Stop. Would you stop? That was high school, Cor. I'm okay, really. See? No scars.. okay, well ignore that one... and that.. um okay, nevermind the scars. I got over all that and that's not important now. We both.. well we all went through a lot a stuff happened and... did you know Willow's gay?"

"Yes.. because I thought Harmony was and called and found out she's just a vampire.. and totally insulted Willow in the process.. so I'm guessing you know about Harm, huh?" Her smile returned though she still looked a little distant and sad. "Maybe I should have sent you flowers."

"Dooon't bring up Harmony, okay? That makes me think of Spike ...and her and Spike.. and Buffy and Spike... and I don't really like Spike," he admitted, getting heebed out thinking of the girls anywhere near him. "Will's got the right idea... stay the hell away from Spike."

"Yeah not too fond of him.. he has that effect on people.. except that a bunch of people we know had s.. I don't want to think about that.. cause well he was in LA for awhile and the thought of.. okay scary.. So.. umm yeah.."

"Exactly, thank you. So... coffee?" He looked for their order and wondered. He was shit tired and it was catching up to him as he relaxed a little. "So you never... you and ... um... no, no, I'm sure you didn't..." His fingers made a mixing motion on the table, hinting that he wondered if she and Spike may have... but it was pretty clear she hadn't.

"Oh no me and Spi-.. ooh no, no.. noooo. Definitely not. I haven't at all and I'm not starting with him! ahmm oo yeah about that coffee.." Her hand came up to her forehead as her arm rested on the table and she felt the deep warm blush rise in her cheeks. "Damn.. I didn't mean to say that.. apparently that nasty habit of things flying off my tongue hasn't totally gone away."

[Lovely]

Xander tried not to laugh, being horrified for her, but at the moment he was nearly loopy and nearly falling over asleep on the table. "I didn't hear a thing, okay? Hey, Cor... this is me, remember? Just like it was in school.. ehrr... well,... sorta, since that almost married thing and well... you know... Anya being a little open about it and all."

"yeah.. that was part of why I was all worried about you showing up with a girl and all even before I knew it was Anya.. not that it changes anything, just.." She waved her hand and sighed, lifting her head though her cheeks were still pink. The coffee and oj arrived and she was thankful for a moment to recover. "Get whatever else you want." She told him, in case he wanted to add anything to what she'd already ordered for them.

"Really?" His tone was very much like Dean's had been an hour or less before, though still with Xander's clear astonishment. "You ... really didn't know about any of that, did you? So um...," at a loss for the right words again, he played with his cup, trying to say it right. "If you didn't know... and you called me... was helping fix this place the only reason you called?" There... he asked... and hurriedly lifted his cup up to shut himself up, even though the liquid burned.

She was confused, not sure why he was asking what he was. "What do you mean? I.. well when I'd called before.. Willow and Harm and not the one I thought being gay.. oh.. anyway.. Well she mentioned you were.. like super handy man guy and.. I don't know. Okay.. I just.. you were the first person I thought of... and I just.. called and asked you to come. It was you.. and.. it.. just you that's all.. shut up and drink your coffee."

At the moment he couldn't argue but something told him he wasn't supposed to swallow the story whole. He nodded, "Okay then, just because I'm a handy guy. Great," he smiled thinly, mostly because his lip stung from the burn, but he'd be alright soon enough.

"No!.. thats not what I meant.. I just.. I'm not good with saying anything nice, you should know that." She waved her hands between them, sighing and trying to fix it before she messed it up more. "I missed you too.. there fine okay.. I said it.. I Cordelia Chase, missed you Xander Harris. Yes I called because of the handyman thing but that wasn't why you were my first thought.. okay.. I have.. thought about you since.. I left Sunnydale. Since.. us.. a lot has happened since then and I'm not the shallow, superficial, material, mean, cold.. I'm just not her anymore and... you were the first person who looked beyond that.."

He picked up the glass of juice and let it sit against his lip, not drinking, just letting it cool the burn a little. She sounded like she meant it and he appeared paralyzed by it. Finally Xander moved the glass back to the table and licked his lip, feeling it sting more now with the acid of the juice on top of the burn now. "You're giving me credit? Okay... okay I get it... you didn't with Spike and the guys at the hotel are all hands off and whatever and ... okay... so you've decided that you're gay too? It's okay. I'm okay with that. I can deal with that. I'm going to go back to the hotel to find another room, hope that Anya doesn't still have a little leftover vengeance and put snakes in my shorts or something... and my highschool girlfriend... is gay. Perfect." Maybe he just shouldn't try to reason with anyone after talking with Anya all night.

"What?!?" She stared at him, her mouth dropping open in shock and her head shaking just a little. "I'm am not!!" She reached over and hit him in his arm. "I can't believe.. Xander! I'm not gay.. How did you get gay from me telling you I missed you and that I think about you sometimes.. I.. oh!... I'm sitting here telling you a bunch of stuff about me and being compassionate to you and you twist that into I'm a great big lesbo!?" She huffed and her face went up into a familiar expression he'd know from the past when she got flustered. "I may be part demon but I am not gay!"

Despite the bulk he wasn't expecting the punch and pinching pain from it to be as hard as it was. He made a face, covering his arm and watching her defend herself. "So if you're not gay and you're being nice and not slamming my ego into the bottom of my coffee cup to read later like some hokey geek-o-scope fortune, then... you really missed me?" Could he really hope?

"Xander! Are you even listening.. are we in the same dimension?" She sighed and laid her hands flat on the table. "Let me try putting this a different way.. You and Anya are totally broken up, done?" She asked before going any further.

"Being in the same dimension when we're talking about former vengeance demons and stuff.... that's kind of a trick question, don'tcha think? Okay... okay I'm listening. Shoot... I mean talk... yes. Done. Is that all you wanted to know? Done... totally... ," his hands smoothed out over and above the table, like an ump calling a 'safe'... "Done."

"Okay.. then let me answer your question." She took in a breath as if she were about to unfurl a long winded Cordy speech but instead leaned up over the table and kissed him on the lips.

The immediate shock widened his eyes then his memory was cast back what felt like decades and seconds at the same time. Xander wasn't being pushed to the floor and didn't feel forced or lost or twisted or anything other than... "I missed you too," he muttered, meeting her halfway so they wouldn't tip the table over.

Their order was waiting behind them with a stunned girl holding the platter, smiling with teary eyes. "Awww that is just the sweetest thing I think I've ever seen."

Cordy pulled away just a little with a smile and she laughed softly. "We have a fan.. " She motioned to the left with her finger at the girl standing there. "Otherwise I'd hug you or something." Cordy winked and slowly eased back into the bench.

"Got a better idea. Could we get this to go, please?" Xander gave the girl a pleading look that 'now' would be really appreciated and followed up with a little smile, the first it felt he'd had in weeks.

"To go?" She smiled and looked over at Xander, wondering what he was thinking and where they were going.

"Is that okay?" He knew it. He took charge and thought he could get away with it. Xander backed down a little, frowning like a bad puppy. "I'd like to, if that's okay with you? I mean... I owe you something, a little more than flowers."

"I was just wondering where you were thinking of going.. it's fine.." She looked up at the girl and smiled. "Yeah sorry.. we're going, do you mind?" She reached over to try to get a hold of Xander's hand before he pulled away too much.

"Sure thing. Be right back," she said giving them both a huge sparkling smile like she hoped hearts and flowers would burst out of the table all around them any moment. She left them alone to pack up their tray.

[Lovely]

Xander hadn't thought that far ahead. "Somewhere? Not the hotel... and um, not that you would, but no cemetaries? I just... the table's too big and I haven't seen you in too long and ... anywhere but here?"

"Okay.. umm we can find somewhere.. you think they have a closet here. That girl seemed to like us, think she'd mind?" She winked at him, reminding him of how they'd first started out in secret, kissing in closets and such.

"I mind." He muttered, thinking back. It felt strange to have an opinion, to even try giving it out loud. He looked at her, waiting for the inevitable draw-and-quarter, that 'something' that said that no matter what he thought, it didn't matter.

"Xander I was kidding.. we don't have to hide.. I don't want to hide in a closet with you. I want to be your friend.. a real friend this time." She sighed and looked over at him.

"You don't? I mean... you don't want to hide or you changed your mind? Just so we're clear here... I'm done with... and you missed me and I missed you and you're okay with not hiding our friendship?"

"Xander.." She stood up and slid carefully around the table to the bench next to him. "Shhh." She leaned to hug him softly to reassure him that she meant it like that.

He shushed without argument. Without the table in the way, but holding them close in the narrow space of bench, Xander almost forgot where they were, or tried his best until he looked up to see the waitress there with her hands folded, smiling at them like she was doting on a baby. Their order was boxed up with a big blue smiley face drawn on the lid. "Maybe hiding... just a little isn't so bad,"he whispered, pushing away reluctantly, noting that their 'fan' was back.

Cordy couldn't help the small giggle that came out as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and really hugged him. "Right.. we'll figure something out.. ready?" She turned to look at the waitress and smiled at her. "Thank you." She fished in her purse and handed the woman a twenty and a five and slid the boxes toward Xander. "Let's go!" She grabbed for his other hand, kissed his cheek and slid out of the booth.

Xander scooped up the boxes in his free hand and dodged the waitress who watched them go, partly following and partly leading to get out before the audience grew larger. "Okay, now did that lady creep you out any? That was just too weird. What happened to the other girl who took our order? Maybe this town is just like Sunnydale, huh?" Xander was excited and getting freaked out at the same time. "Okay.. remind me they don't come out in the daylight, right?"

"Okay creepy.. I agree and no Xander nothing bad ever comes out in the daylight.. we can hurry to the car right?" She gave him a raised eyebrow smile and tugged his hand. "So.. car.. yes, where should we go that's not the hotel and not a cemetary? I agree on that by the way.. nothing nice there, just more creepy."

"The hotel. I decided. Yes, I Xander Harris... made a decision, if that's okay with you," he said, tugging back and getting back to the car in a hurry. "I'm done right? She knows... I know... you know... why worry right? Out in the open. I'm not hiding in closets, Cordy, not anymore."

"Xander.. " She said as she got in the car and reached to put her hand over his. "Relax. I'm okay with going back to the hotel... we definitely need to spend some time together where we can just.. relax and talk and.. whatever else.. you know sort this out some."

"Relax," he chuckled nervously almost into a giggle. "Is it stupid that I'm saying I don't want to hide anymore but I really... really really really don't , I don't want to have... I don't want to see her, I don't want to talk to her... not like I can talk to her, since all I did was listen, trying to talk for ... six.. hours... Cordy... Promise me you'll save me?"

"Save you from what Xander? Anya?" She looked over at him and put her hand on his arm. "Look.. we'll go in casual.. not hiding but not rubbing it in her face, give her some time to cool off get used to things. and if she tries anything I'll kick her ex-demon ass up one side of the street and down the other."

He gave her a look that pleaded just that much more then nodded. "Casual. I can do casual. I'm not rubbing anything, that's for sure, not anymore. I think that's what confused her, me being too nice. Damnit I hate doing that."

"Well stop it silly." Cordy grinned and then held up a finger to gesture at him. "Just don't get any ideas about being mean to me." She warned with a cool yet playful stare. "Cause I'll kick your ass too!" She poked him lightly and let her smile come shining back out again.

He shrugged and promised, his hands held up in defeat. "I'm not getting any ideas, nope, not a one. Just as long as you don't start, either," he poked back, hoping beyond hope that this streak would continue. He'd done enough breaking and poorly knitting himself back together with every snit and squabble over the past few years.

She pouted a little and walked her fingers up his arm, feeling the muscle beneath and how much bulkier it was now. "No.. no ideas here.. well okay.. me and you and food and relaxing and a lot of catching up.. how many ideas does that count as?"

"Sounds like a whole lot of no ideas to me," he grinned, his hand flipping to catch hers and hold onto it. "Just keep not thinking any of those ideas until we get back."

[Lovely]

*********
back at the hotel

Xander seemed frozen in the front seat, staring at the wheel only slightly more intently than when they'd left. His eyes were flitting over the scenes in his mind's eye, sure of the carnage that would ensue as soon as they walked in, knowing his luck... with a wealth of blades and stakes and other sharp things like Anya's tongue to lash at them both if... "Could you... go in first and check it out?"

"Xander.. we just went to breakfast and.. come on.. if there's chaos inside I won't be able to come back out and warn you, I'll have to jump in and.. " She gave him a look and tapped his arm, slipping out of the car.

He looked up at her, past her, maybe through her. "Home sweet home? Alright, okay, I'll come on in, I just don't want to make this too rough for you, okay? That's what I owe you , Cordy, my deepest sincerest warmest apologies... and ask that maybe in acceptance of that apology we can go around in the back?"

"Xan.. okay.. we can even climb up the drain pipe if it will make you feel better." She laughed a little bit and motioned him to follow her around the back instead of going through the front.

He wiped his hands down on his shirt and reached for the pack... second nature to do it anymore... that wasn't there now. Xander shook his head again, hoping he wouldn't need anything from it and got out, customarily locking the door before it creaked closed to a solid steel and old-car thud. "It will make me feel better. You have no idea what a creep fest it was walking in the front when we first got here... you... with Wesley and Angel and everyone getting along."

"Yeah thats terrifying isn't it?" She half turned and gave him a small smile. "Xander.. we're not the same as we were when we left Sunnydale.. none of us are. I'm sort of like.. Angel's partner.. I'm his connection to the powers that be.. we're a team, me, him, Wes, Gunn, Fred.. kind of how you and Willow and Buffy and Giles.. You guys bonded and were friends, were family.. that's what we have. Funny isn't it? We're like the Scooby rejects.. none of us ever fit in or were really a part of that.." She shrugged a little and reached for his hand.

"What's to fit in? Have stake will travel. Or shovel or ... you know pencils work okay in a pinch." He winced a little at thoughts of the gang and working together which usually ended up with him breaking the furniture, not making it. "Believe me you should count yourself lucky."

"I do.. I never would have been anything more than the b*tch of the group if I had tried to stay there. Buffy.. no offense because I know she's your friend and I respect that.. it's just.. she only lets the people around her be what she thinks they are. Even if you change, if she doesn't accept it and okay it, you're still the same in her eyes or pushed away." She looked down at the ground as she walked and chewed her lip a little as she thought. "Buffy would never see past the shiny surface of me.. I was just Cordy the b*tch-factor and that's all I could be in that group. Here.. I'm Cordy, part of the team.. a person, who makes mistakes like everybody else. I was allowed to leave the shiny exterior behind and now I'm real.. I fight demons and protect the innocent.. I never thought this would be my life. I came to LA to be an actress, I was going to be a star. Now I'm really something.. and I have a wicked cool crossbow and I can sword fight." She looked up with a bright smile and a small excited wiggle on the last bit.

[Lovely]

"Swordfight? They let you handle a sw-... um.. that's cool. Really." He was incrudulous, remembering times standing on her feet was a challenge. More than that he was proud, knowing all along she was a sort of rough diamond that needed to look inside herself beyond the shine and find her strengths. Apparently she had, but he didn't expect credit for that. "And a cross-bow? Huh. How about that. I think you've got it wrong on Buffy though. Mm.. then again maybe it took dying to send that message that everybody's on the team, you know? If that even makes sense. So, this is the back, huh? Nice place, really." He switched off the topic about who belonged where since that was all behind them and way lay ahead of them was a "Helluva lot of work this is gonna be," he sighed, thinking of paint and plaster, refitting of a lot of windows and several other projects that loomed overwhelmingly around them.

"Hey.." She put her hand on his arm, rubbing it gently. "I didn't mean.. I'm sorry if anything I said hurt your feelings. Like I said at first, she's your friend and I do respect that." She turned her attention to the hotel and sighed nodding her head. "Yeah.. but we'll get it fixed up nice.. till it gets busted up by some evil fiend." She laughed softly, but it was so true. "I am in no way a good carpenter like you.. but if I can help with anything, even if it's just holding, carrying.. sanding.. I can do grunt work.. in a stellar but practical hard working outfit."

He had to laugh. "How about we make a list and figure out a budget for all of this, huh? I have some of my tools, but not all that I'm going to need for this. My suggestion, if the place isn't haunted, and I mean other than the crack staff, we do one wing at a time and open it for business."

"That's a really smart idea.. I'll have to discuss it with my partners.. but umm.. if we open for business.. who is going to work here?"

"How stellar is that outfit? I'm the guy with the hammer, remember? I'll fix it up, but if I can't buy supplies, and you can't afford them either, it's going to be really hard to keep working from here even doing what else we do."

"Soo.. you're saying we.. run a hotel?" She looked over at him, her eyebrow arched up in question and her hands resting lightly on his arm. "How are we supposed to do that? I mean.. we fight evil and evil follows us home a lot.."

"Send them to Faith's room. She has a really good idea how to run the rooms," he said, deadpan as he finally looked away from counting all the projects to give Cordelia a crooked grin. "I meant run it as something, some kind of front. Unless you have a sugar daddy on your dance card that I'll have to talk about scribbling off really soon."

"You know.. that's probably where I went wrong in all this.. no sugar daddy.. but you can still scribble on my card later." She smiled and reached to wrap her arm around his shoulders. "Look.. the hotel is supposed to be our home and office.. to save us money and time.. " She reached into her purse and pulled out a business card, flipping it to show Xander. "Angel Investigations.. "

"What' s the picture of?" He looked at it sideways and pulled it out of her hand to turn it instead. "Why Angel? How'd he get his name on it? I thought you were supposed to be the star, remember?"

"It's.. an angel! See the wings and halo.. I didn't have alot of time to draw it.. hush.." She reached for the card, pouting a little. "His name gets on it because.. well at the time he was the boss and because Cordelia Investigations doesn't sound as good as Angel Investigations. It's catchy.. Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless.. see nice ring to it, right?"

"Catchy? Right," he nodded and pulled out his wallet to put the card in it. In the photos, someplace apparently where Anya never bothered to look, he had a bent and worn picture from their varsity days, Cordy wrapped around him and smiling over his shoulder.

Her eyes caught the picture and her fingers caught the wallet, pulling it up to look at the worn picture in it's plastic slot. "I.. can't believe you have this.. in your wallet.. you still carry a picture of us in your wallet?" Her voice and face were soft, like she was awed, touched beyond words by that 'small' thing.

"I like to remember people," he shrugged it off like it was a small thing, but she knew the look, the tip of the smile at the corners as he was caught, hiding, being bashful and trying not say what he really thought, never mind the brush of his thumb over the picture's sleeve before flipping the wallet closed and sighing. "So I never took it out?"

"You're the only person in Sunnydale who ever saw me as... who ever accepted all the sides of me from b*tchy to vunerable.." Her hand brushed over his lightly and she leaned to kiss his cheek. "You saw there was more to me, before I even knew there was more to me."

"Yeah, but what do I know, huh? I"m just a guy who liked this girl... ," he paused and looked up, somewhat stunned at himself for finding the nerve but if he didn't, he never would say it to her. "Loved this girl..." There, he said it, out loud, with only ivy trellises as witness he hoped as his dark eyes darted back and forth, watching hers and hoping... please dear god... don't laugh.

The smile that followed his words was not the brilliant Cordy grin, it was soft, shy, and sweet. She didn't say anything at first, just gazing at his face, for a moment it looked like she might cry but she didn't. Cordy touched the side of his face with her hand and leaned to kiss his cheek again.

She didn't laugh. Not only did she not laugh, she kissed him and didn't kick him. The breath he held sighed out slowly and he found himself wrapping back and not wanting to let go even though they were in a spotlight of sunshine that crept through the vines and wires around the back fencing.

The hug was sweet, tender.. just nice.. Cordy pulled away a little and slid her hands back down to take his. "We should go in.. my room okay to have some privacy?"

He gripped a little and let go with a nod. "Okay. I promise, I'm not freaking out, even though we're still going in the back."

[Lovely]

She just squeezed his hand and tugged him to follow as she walked up to the back door and pulled it open. It didn't creak or squeak, which was somewhat reassuring. She looked around and continued walking, not seeing anyone around, at least here.

"Huh." Xander was amazed at the smooth hinge and lack of announcement despite all the rest that was obviously run down and needing repair or paint or oil. His hand ran over the door, solid old wood. He hadn't come in this way before, not in daylight and it was almost even welcoming. "What do you want to do with this?" He mentioned the boxes quietly. It was only bacon and french toast, not like it was going bad sitting out.

"Eat it.. figured we could eat and talk and.. hopefully relax a little.. what do you want to do with it?" She half turned as they walked, keeping her voice a bit lower just so it wouldn't echo off into the rest of the building.

"Well it does have powdered sugar on it." He was teasing, wondering what she had in mind to relax since there were a few things that had changed since ... well since the picture in his wallet was taken. Keeping his voice low, he walked closer to slide his arm around her waist.

She turned as his arm slid around her and came up against him a bit, brushing a soft kiss over his cheek. She wondered if his neck and ears were still as sensitive to light kisses as they had been. She remembered spending time cuddled up with him, or stuck in a closet making out.. Cordy sighed a little and started walking faster.

Xander turned at the light touch. "You're thinking. What?" What was she looking at? She sped up a little, tugging him along. "Stop, hold on a sec." He chuckled quietly and didn't want to really stop and end up talking to anyone else, but getting up the stairs this way would be a trick.

"I'm thinking.. what I'm thinking!" She teased with a light giggle. "Will you just come on? The faster we get upstairs.. the faster we can discuss what we're both thinking.. hmm?" She spun under his arm and gave him a grin as she started walking backwards, holding his hand.

He hoped he hadn't started something he shouldn't have, but it was so nice to see that smile again, hear that laugh, he couldn't help but smile in wonder and follow closely. It was also nice to have light in the halls and not feel like he needed to be holding a flashlight or a piece of sharpened wood to feel alive. He'd forgotten what 'human' sounded like, felt like. "I'm thinking... " He shook his head, watching her ahead of him, trying not to blush like he was sixteen again.

"Yeah.. you look like you're thinking.." Her eyes sparkled and her smile showed a silent giggle that tremored through her. Giving his hand a tug, she spun around again and started up the stairs at a light run.

"Not thinking anything at all, really Cordy, just... " She turned around and stepped off ahead making him chase a little or lose a hand. His toe tipped one of the steps, making him go headlong and nearly tackle her. He hadn't meant to charge up that fast or sound like he was stampeding.

"Woah!" She laughed, curling against him as he nearly tackled her and she wrapped his arm around her middle, holding his hand. She slowed of course even after nearly being knocked down as they regained their footing and she walked beside him. "Definitely not sneaking." She teased him, glancing around and seeing only Sam poking his head out to find out what the noise was.

Sam looked at the two of them, a big smile coming across his face as he chuckled. He gave Xander and Cordy a two thumbs up, chuckling some more as he went back into his room.

"Oh god. This is like rushing the frat," he sighed, turning deeper pink as Sam ducked back in his room. The approval was somehow appreciated even if the timing wasn't. "No, definitely not sneaking, so we better duck in one of these rooms. NOT... that one," he said, almost walking to the room he'd been staying in but likely wasn't going to be welcome in for a while.

"This way.." Cordy turned and he wouldn't see the roll of her eyes as he mentioned the room not to go into. Her fingers laced with his as she led him down the hall to the other end where her room was. "How about here?" She unlocked the door and let it open to reveal what was left of her wordly belongings, there wasn't much and several things were charred. "It's not much.. but it's home." She announced quietly, the drastic difference from her pampered life before very clear for him to see. At least there weren't roaches and it was clean, unlike her first apartment in LA.

"Home sweet... jeeezus what happened to your books?" He pointed out the charring and wondered a moment, trying to piece things together in his memory.

"Oh.. that.. I wanted them to match my yearbook.." She chuckled and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him once he was inside. "They blew up my apartment.. this.." She waved to the few things she had left, and the three outfits in her closet, one of them new that made up her stuff. "..this is everything I own."

"They... who? What did you live on the set of Die Hard? Cordy, I had no idea. You're okay, though? I mean... LA, the big life, had everything going.. and... it blew up.. huh." His hand brushed over the dark edges like they were still warm and might crumble apart.

"Oh.. the last big bad demon we fought. You'd have to ask Wesley most of them have names only he can pronounce." She sighed and moved to pace a little, stopping by the end of the bed. "I never had the big life Xander.. I joined up with Angel shortly after I got to LA and ever since.." She motioned around at her charred stuff. "What did you think I was doing all this time?"

[Lovely]

June 8, 2009
11am
the hotel

Cordy had gotten up this morning feeling better and more hopeful that things would work out here, than she had.. well ever. Sure they hadn't been there that long but.. she sighed trying to shake the thoughts away as she cleaned and set up the office. The hotel had come as is for a price she couldn't refuse, though she wouldn't be surprised if something vile was living in the walls. She laughed a little at the thought and shook her head. "Yeah that would be my luck." She was talking to herself again, something she did often at home but then Dennis was there so it wasn't really talking to herself.

She'd already been in here three hours and she'd cleared the junk out, scrubbed the windows, walls, floor, and shelves. The window was stuck and she was standing by it, with a putty knife trying to get it unstuck. Her jeans showed the signs of her cleaning with smears and her hair was pulled up in a clip to keep it out of her face and the ick.

She'd brought in several chairs from the dining room and had plans to bring in one of the big tables to set up for their use, once she could wrangle a couple of the boys to help. She'd discovered the tables and chairs in there were in good condition and heavy(solid). They were nicely carved and would hold up and work just about perfect for the center of their operations which is what she intended this room for. The shelves were just waiting for Wes to fill with his books and scrolls..

There was a rag and polish sitting on one of the chairs, she'd finished cleaning half of them and realized how warm the room was getting so decided to open a window, only to find it was stuck.. that was her current project -get the window open!

Edward watched unseen from the shade of the tree as the young woman struggle with the window. He had a keen interest in the sudden exodus of new arrivals in town, and how they would react to his family. He really should introduce himself, but he was enjoying watching her get frustrated with the window, especially since he was partially to blame for why it was stuck in the first place.

Drawing a breath of cool air into his long dead lungs, he wondered on how best to approach her.

Cordelia was getting quite frustrated with the window's refusal to cooperate with her demand that it open. She muttered under her breath and wondered where all the 'big, strong boys' were when they were? Never around when you needed them! She laughed a little and stomped her foot, she needed to learn more about these random demon powers she now had and learn how to make them work on command. This was so... "Argh! Open sesame!" She threw her rag at the window and folded her arms in a slight huff. It was then when she was paying more attention and having less of a fit, that she noticed how the hair was pricked up on the back of her neck - the sensation of being watched flowing over her. She glanced around the room and out the window, she didn't see anyone. "Angel?" She called softly, he could lurk and sneak up really well.

"Angel?" Edward could not help but smile. Oh no, he was no angel. No saint either when you came down to it.

Now he was curious as he wondered what she was like up close. Would she be like everyone else who he could read like an open book? If so, what was her story. Yes, by the look of her there was a story to tell.

Moving faster than the human eye could follow, he scaled down the tree and moved around the front door.

Rapping the large brass knocker, he waited for her to open the door.

Cordelia had just come into the lobby in search of the lurking Angel or anyone else who might be around to make her feel less alone and creeped out. There didn't seem to be anyone around and she jumped at the sudden knock on the front door. "Sheesh!" She said out loud, feeling city for jumping, demons that wanted to kill you usually didn't knock. She moved to the door and pulled it open to greet the pale and handsome man who was standing there. "Hi."

"Uhm.....Hi. I was walking by and I could not help but notice you in the window. Are you the new owner? Oh where are my manners." Smiling shyly, he offered his hand, "My name is Edward, Edward Cullen."

His hand was cool in hers as she reached to politely shake it, her eyebrow arched up ever so slightly though he'd notice it even if a human wouldn't. "Cordelia Chase. I'm one of the owners, yes... along with my partners Wesley and Angel." She wanted to make sure he knew she wasn't alone but didn't reveal how many others there were within the rooms. Also many demons and things had heard of Angel so a little name dropping might be warning enough not to try any funny business. "So.. do you live in town Edward?"

"You could say that, in a way. My family has been in this town for generations, so we have a vested interest in new comers." Closing his eyes, he allowed himself a moment to sense the thoughts of anyone else nearby. Finding none, he said, "Wesley and Angel? Such an interesting collection of names. Sadly due to our town's isolation we don't get much news of the outside world. Anyway, like I mentioned, I saw you were having problems with the window and would like to offer to help."

She listened to his words, reading more into them than what he said, of course it was only speculation and probably paranoia from living with so many enemies over the past few years. Cordelia smiled and gave a slight shake of her head. "Oh I'm sure there are plenty of stubborn windows in this place. I wouldn't want you to trouble yourself. One of the boys can get it, there are enough of them running around... or maybe sleeping right now." She flashed Edward a friendly smile as she chuckled on her absent friends as she stood there 'all alone'.

Glancing at his watch, Edward frowned and said, "Its nearly noon and they are still asleep? You must have real lazy friends. Its no trouble really, I promise you have nothing to fear from me. If I try anything funny, I am sure your friends would be on me in a flash. Cross my heart."

He motioned a cross over his heart to indicate his seriousness.

"If I had a quarter for every time I heard that fro..... Ohhh! oww.. okay bad timing.. really bad timing!" Her eyes squeezed shut and her hands lifted to her head as the vision began, she stumbled back a couple steps, one arm reaching out to find something to try to steady herself with. She was going to end up on the floor in front of this guy and that was going to be tough to explain...

In a blink of an eye, he was behind her ready to break her fall in his arms, a look of concern on his face as he said, "Are you all right? Do you want to sit down?"

Silently he opened his mind to pick up any stray thoughts in the air.

She didn't answer him at first, she couldn't until the vision was done making it's way through her system, at least they weren't this bad all the time.. but the few she'd had since their arrival in Forks had been much more violent. Her legs did buckle, causing her to crumple toward the floor despite her desire not to. "Wooo... okay.. I'm okay.. just a v..ahh migrane." For a moment she forgot it wasn't Angel behind her, as he was usually the one to catch her when a vision knocked her on her butt. "I get very bad and sudden migranes... every now and then.." It did kind of describe what was happening to her, minus the part about the vision and the message from the powers that be. "Thank you.. I'm good.."

"Are you sure?" A look of concern on his face, not quite believing her. "You might need to see a doctor. I happen to know on in town..."

"No.. thank you but a doctor isn't nessessary. There is nothing they can do about the.. migranes, anyway. Trust me I went through the doctor fun house and had every test you can imagine." She got her footing and tried to prove that she was fine by stepping away from him so he'd she was once again - mostly steady on her feet.

"Are you sure?" He said, as he made sure he was within range in case she fell again. "Do you want me to get you some water or something? Maybe you should sit down and I wake up one of your friends."

I'll sit down." She agreed, careful not to nod her head too much and slowly making her way over to sit on one of the couches in the lobby of the hotel. "Thank you. You don't need to wake them, it's strange that they aren't all down here already, usually you can't get them out of your hair when you want to. heh. I guess it figures they'd all be scarce now." She looked over at Edward and gave him a more genuine smile. "It's good you decided to stop by when you did, I might have ended up on the floor and well it needs a really good mopping."

Escorting her to the chair and making sure she was comfortable, he moved toward the window, glanced at the frame for a sec and then lightly tapped the right corner. With a flourish he easily opened the window to allow a breeze into the room.

"There is a small trick to it really. In houses this old, the wood frame usually has warped a bit. So a quick blow to the corner, frees it open."

Frowning at the mention of mopping, he said, "Can't have that now can we? Are you sure you don't want me to call the clinic?"

"Umm thank you and no offence or anything but do mind closing that?" She pointed to the window he'd opened with a slight frown, the breeze was not at all helpful after the vision she'd just had. "..and I'll keep that trick in mind for the window in the other room I was having trouble with." The one he'd opened hadn't been stuck to begin with as far as she knew, the one in the room she'd been cleaning was and at this point she wasn't going back in there for awhile anyway.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your help but I don't need the clinic or anything." She needed to talk to her friends about the vision she'd just had, but that wasn't something he could help her with.

Closing the window as she requested, Edward said, "Ok if you are positive. So I guess I will be leaving now unless you want me to stay until your friends get here."

"Thank you... Edward." She paused as she took a second to remember what he'd said his name was. Cordelia smiled warmly at him and slowly got up off the couch, bounce back from the bad visions was also starting to improve. Maybe there was hope for her after all. "I appreciate your help and concern but I'm really fine. My friends are here.. just not in the room. I should probably go bug one of them for asprin." She still pretended it was just a sudden and severe headache. "Perhaps you can come another time and meet them." That's what people said in small towns right? Friendly, warm, inviting.. Cordy had always been so b*tchy to everyone back in Sunnydale and LA wasn't a small friendly time, she might need a little practice at this.

"Ok, I would be looking forward to show you and your friends around. The town isn't much to look at I guess compared to the big city, but it has its charms." Bowing slightly, he smiled and said, "Well I guess this my cue to exit. I hope to see you around town Cordelia." Then he turned and headed out the door.

"I'm sure they will look forward to meeting you as well. I'm sorry they didn't come down to meet you this time." She smiled again, this being nice wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. She was actually sincere in her parting comments. "It was nice meeting you." She said as he walked away, almost sorry he was going and that she had to be a little rude to get rid of him, damn visions! Right, she had one to go discuss... She turned and headed for the stairs, someone was going to get an ear full!

[Lovely]

June 18, 2009
3:30 p.m.
Somewhere in Bon Temps...

Dean had been listening to some of the dirty-laundry stories Gunn had mentioned and Faith had admitted to point-blank. He didn't know Faith that well but had a pretty good idea that between her and Buffy, they apparently knew half the West coast and he knew enough of the slayers' exploits already to almost be jealous if not simply in awe. Strong women and skin were on his mind a lot lately as it was and it was disturbing to find that the girls, although enticing in their casual desires, didn't turn his head away from Phoebe... or Cordelia. He was trying to take his mind off both of the brunettes long enough to get some work done and find them a new case, but couldn't shake either one out long enough. Talking to Sam usually killed any 'mood' he had though. Sam steered them through town to find the copy shop, museum, library and a few other choice locations they'd need from time to time during their stay and Dean was also trying to distract himself from Sam's driving. "So... We've got two Slayers. Which one do you want to take off my hands? Let me make this an easy choice. Which do you think is the bigger 'ho'?"

Sam turned to look at Dean with a disbelieving expression before turning back to the road shaking his head, he was kind of disgusted at the question. "You." He stated with a sour expression.

Dean grinned. He'd hit a nerve, hadn't he? "b*tch. I was just trying to be nice and share. What, you don't think they're cute? Faith, she's definitely cute... if you get to be on her first shift anyway."

"Like you're one to talk, at least Buffy was in love with most of them or thought she was.. and Faith hasn't had any shifts in a couple of weeks. Could be she turned over a new leaf.. maybe you should follow her example." He could not believe he just said that and it pissed him off more. "You just like to try out new pillows.." He took a deep breath and glanced at Dean again. "Jerk."

Dean's mouth opened, jawing at air as he tried to protest, but realized he couldn't. Not exactly. If Sam had paid close attention, he'd notice Dean hadn't exactly changed his pillows lately, though he was still thinking he might try fluffing one or two others. Damnit, this so wasn't working to get his mind off of Cordy or Pheebs... Pheebs... he'd known her long enough and well enough already to have her nickname ingrained in the thoughts as well. He couldn't deny any of it and shouldn't even try. He nodded and shrugged, looking out the window.

"And that's why you're an idiot." Sam commented on Dean's lack of one. Taking his silence to mean he wasn't denying any of it. Phoebe seemed nice and Cordy was nice but Dean didn't seem interested in more than just bagging either one as well as some others.. What was so wrong or hard about simply being with one awesome girl?

"Hey. Pleasures of the flesh? They're worth it, Sammy. Reduces stress and brings you back to humanity... once in a while. Besides it's about as close to luuuuuve as I'll probably ever see, so shut up and drive," he defended, though he wasn't sure that was true. He was never on edge like this.

"I disagree.. you can get that from one woman you know and a hell of alot more.. you'd see that too if you weren't.. " He faltered for a minute and had no other word but the one he'd just used. "..an idiot." He finished, wondering why this was bothering him so damn much, Dean was Dean and he wasn't going to change.

"Have it your way, Sam," Dean sighed, closing his brother out as he lowered his shades from the top of his head and resting back to get a small nap in before they reported back to the crew with nada.

"No it's more like you having it your way.. it's always your way Dean.. you never learn and you never change and you're just.. just.. a jerk.." Sam was quite aggitated it seemed and could it really only be over Dean's exploits?

He grinned and folded his arms over his chest, glancing over through the dark blankness of the glasses at the annoyance he piqued further. "Oh I learn a lot of things, Sammy. You just want me to tell you so you don't embarrass yourself with a chic... that is if you ever get that stick outta your a--......"

"Shut up.. Damn it Dean why do you have to be such an ass?" His hand gripped the wheel and his foot pressed down on the gas. "This isn't about me.. this is about you and you being to stubborn or too stupid to see when something amazing is in front of you.. maybe it's both.. but stop pretending like there's something wrong with me because I don't choose to be like you and throw away the amazing for cheap thrills, big boobs, or an hour that means nothing."

"Hey, that's cold. It all means something...," he defended. He pulled his glasses down to look down his nose at Sam as he lead-footed down the block. A light back handed slap to Sammy's arm was matched with a chuckle. "Just means I'm gettin' some and you're hard up."

He would have hit Dean if he wasn't driving, he jerked away from the light handed slap, his arm coming up in the movement but he let it drop. "Did you ever consider.. maybe I don't care about getting some? I don't want something that lasts an hour with a girl who's name I'm not going to remember in a couple days.. if you even knew her name."

"I got her name and I remember it," he sneered, leaning back against his seat, insulted. "And yeah I considered more than once that with all that touchy feely crap on top of that that maybe you just might be gay."

"Really.. what was her name? Nice girl?.. not that you care." He shook his head, his gaze focused on the road ahead. "Guess that's the trouble.. you don't give a crap about nice girls, or really good people.. you're just looking for wherever you can .. try out a pillow. I'm not gay Dean.. I just want something that last more than an hour."

"Hey dude... slow down... book store," he said, looking out the window and seeming to ignore the question as he pointed out the scruddy building with blacked-out windows and silhouettes of naked women stenciled on the sides of the door.

"I have an appointment.. sorry you can come back after you drop me off.. get some more cheap thrills." He didn't slow down and turned down another block.

"An appointment? With who?! Man, just two minutes to check out the latest Hustler? C'mooon... A'right a'right... look. Think about it. A town like this with all the activity we've heard about? What better place to front out an operation than one with boarded windows and the lowest of low coming in the doors at all hours?"

"Fine we'll check it out later, I don't have two minutes right now.. I'm already late." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hustler will still be there.. don't worry."

"Late for... What? Who? Wait... vision? What're you seeing, Sam?" The book store and his theory about what might be running the shop was put on hold. "You okay to drive?"

"I'm seeing Cordelia kicking your ass for making me late.. " He started to chuckled and then grimaced, trying to slow the car down and pull over before -he couldn't see at all.

"You're meeting Cordy...-lia?" Dean choked only briefly, his hand bracing on the door as Sam pulled over. "Sammy? What... what is it? Stop the car."

The car pulled to a stop, with a bit of a jerk as Sam let go of the wheel to curl into the vision that seemed more painful than usual. He panted a little as it faded and he rested back against the seat, catching his breath. "Dean.. " He started and stopped, opening the door of the car to get out and get some air. "Oh god.. this is my fault.. I asked her to help.." He was muttering to himself as he leaned against the back of the car, his legs feeling weak.

Dean's door creaked open hardly fast enough for him to pour out and skim around the car to help Sam out. "Who...asked who to help about what? What did you see?"

"Cordelia.. I asked her to look into something for me.. this is.. We have to get .. Henry lane.. she's down in the basement of an abandoned wharehouse.."

"Sonuva--- You had to have her look into something in a warehouse alone? What's the matter with you?" He pushed his way around his brother to get a water bottle from the back seat. "Take this, I'll drive."

"Dean I didn't.. It wasn't.. " He stopped, no matter what he said or how she'd ended up there alone.. it was his fault she was there -she was trying to help him. "Damn it.." He took the bottle and slipped into the back seat -it was quicker than going around.

"Just get in. Henry street? Lane... lane... where the heck is the map?" He was slamming around cassettes and the stale burger wrappers on the floor for the courtesy map of the town they'd picked up at the post office.

He climbed over the seat, tossing the water bottle down and reaching to grab the map as it was uncovered. "Dean start driving.. I'll look.. " He was unfolding the map, scanning for a Henry lane. "Got it.. it's on the other side of town.. shit.. it will take a half hour to get there."

"Yeah, not with this lead foot. Hang on," Dean said, his jaw tightening and grinding as his eye searched the road for anything they might hit. He pulled out, spinning them in a squealing fishtail into the driving lane. "Helping you with what?!"

"Something.. I can't tell. You wouldn't understand.. She was just supposed to be.. I didn't know she'd go off alone to.. I asked her not to say anything but I.. Dean if .. if we don't make it there in time.. what happens to her.. it will be my fault."

"What, you two have little slumber party secrets now? Truth or dare? I think you better tell me if you think she's gonna get herself killed," he sniped, watching the road for the turns and lights. "Try me - maybe I might understand more than you think."

"Slumber party secrets? Dean please.. she's just.. she understands. I don't tell you everything.. there have been some.. It's Jess.. I asked her to help me find out if she's.. at rest, peace..or if her soul is.. I just need to know.. if it's really her I've been seeing."

Dean laughed off the nervous chill. Sam's visions freaked him out as it was, but that he couldn't shake Jess out of his head after all they'd been through was worse. "Seeing how? Seeing seeing or just having ... you know... dreams... nightmares and shit? Dude, we see a lot of things. What makes you think it's Jess?"

"Not dreams Dean, not unless I'm falling asleep in the middle of a conversation with you.. It's been a handful of times. I know what Jess looks like.. I know it.. I'm not crazy Dean.. but seeing her, makes me think I am. What if I'm.. if it is her.. what the hell is she doing here?"

"Hell may have something to do with it," he muttered, trying to come up with an explanation that it couldn't... shouldn't be Jessica. "Someone playing a crafty little trick on you? That ever cross that lawyer mind of yours that someone's putting the freak on you on purpose?"

He looked at Dean and nodded his head. "Yeah, as a matter of fact it did.. That's why Cordelia is trying to help me find out if Jess.. is at rest or appearing to me, or someone is doing some tricks, or if I'm just plain crazy."

"D... all of the above?" He grinned a little and tossed a look at Sam. He'd help find an answer somehow, but what kind of information did Chase uncover if it was going to kill her to know it? "So why the warehouse?"

"Where else would you have a secret meeting with.. well to be honest I'm not sure exactly what or who she was meeting with. She said sources.." He shrugged and held on as the next turn came up, "..Here.. go left."

"I don't know, Sam. Coffee shops? Phone booths? Book stores with boarded windows....," he rattled off, taking the turn sharply as Sam pointed it out, nearly slamming a milk truck that was casually parked half in the street. They dodged and swerved down the road. "Sources you don't trust show up in places like warehouses, Sammy. Please tell me she had more than that stupid crossbow with her...?"

"You know she's very fond of that cross bow.. I didn't see the cross bow in the vision.." He wasn't sure his answer was going to be very reassuring, and at the same time wondered if he was just imagining that his brother seemed more concerned than usual.

"Yeah she should be fond of a .38 at least, something faster," he muttered, wishing he'd taken a little more time to give her a piece or two to work with. He wondered if she had anything at all with her. "How about you tell me more about what you did see?"

He swallowed and looked at his brother a little nervously, he'd never quite seen anything like this. "um.. four or five.. demons.. sort of scaley lizard-man looking things, a little bulky but fast and they were attacking her.. She's alone, out numbered.. I mean she's good but against four or five that are bigger and stronger..?" He swallowed, saying things like the last wasn't going to help. "It was a trap.. they.. they set her up."

"And you didn't see that part before?" Dean challenged, shooting a look to Sam as he came to a stop at a light only long enough to make sure he wasn't going to cream some chowderhead on a bike or anything, pulling back out into a turn to dodge a block. The last thing they needed was the local badges on their tail.

"What I saw was her being grabbed from behind with a very big knife to her throat and another coming at the front." He said it quiet as if he didn't want to tell Dean that part, either.

"How much further is this place?" He growled and slammed the radio on to anything that would be louder than the scream in his head. Going around the block wasn't exactly the best shortcut but it bought them a few seconds. Strains of AC/DC squealed out of the speakers as the tires squealed around another corner.

He fumbled with the map a little as Dean tore around the corners. "About a mile.. one more right and to the end of the street." He had to raise his voice to be heard over the music that suddenly blared out of the speakers.

"Damned one-way streets. Gee do you think they saved us a parking spot? Five demons might be hard to miss, Sam. How much time do you think we have? Can we get in before... ?"

"They're not coming from above.. they are coming in from the basement.. the sewer.. We don't have alot of time.. but they believe she's alone.. they aren't expecting us." He quickly folded the map and tossed it on the dash.

He turned the music down only a little to hear himself. "I hope you're right mister I-didn't-know-it was-a-trap. Get the book. What's it say about these things?" He'd forgotten about dad's notes.

He sighed, pulling out the journal and flipping through it as quickly as he could, looking for a reference to the things he'd seen in his vision. "Oh hey here.. I think this might be them.. ohh.. yeah we should hurry."

"I got that part already. What do we need? We're a little short in the WhatWouldMacGuyverDo department, so I hope you have a plan. Looks like we're up," he nodded ahead at the end of the street they needed.

"No.. I don't think you did.. lets just hope we get there before they show up. Dad didn't have a name for them.. looks like bullets will wound them but unless we have some serious round -it's not going to take them down. We have an axe in the trunk?"

"I don't want to know what they're called, Sam. It's not like we're gonna invite them to a birthday party... well maybe yours. Of course we have an axe. How many do we need?" The car skidded slightly at the back with the weight of their gear as Dean slid into park at the side of the warehouse. "Door... which one?" He was out his door and opening the trunk before the engine fully turned off.

Sam left the journal on the seat and followed Dean to the trunk. "Two if we have them.. Dean.. there will be one with darker scales on his forehead and nose. That's the one we need to kill. We have to behead and dismember it. I'm thinking we should just get her out."

Dean paused only a moment, his hand on the fire axe. "Fine. You take this one and I'll take my chances. You get to pay for the laundry this week," he said, handing his brother the axe so he could check the cartridge in his gun.

He took the axe and gave his brother a look. "I promise we can come back, track and kill them all.. later -once we know Cordelia is out and in a safe place.. apparently these things cant get dates with their own kind. The ones Dad came across were preying on girls in their upper teens to mid twenties."

"Shifters or buttugly to start with?" He didn't look Sam in the eye. He stared at the rounds, running a thumb over the last one in the cartridge before sliding and locking it in. "Get her out first, then we'll worry about coming back. If we leave anything behind. Let's go."

"Not that they aren't ugly.. but it didn't say why, just that if the girls survived the initial attack they'd take them back to their lair and .. dump the mutilated bodies later after they were done with them." His hand tightened and he shifted the axe into a better hold.

"They're not taking anybody back to their skanky little hell holes this time, Sam. Are you ready or not?" Dean slammed the trunk closed and slipped his flashlight in one pocket, keys in another, keeping his gun in his hand and heading to one of the doors.

"I'm ready." He was feeling enormously guilty but he was ready. "Dean if anything happens to her I.." He shook his head, his lips going into their angry purse, only he was angry with himself this time. A heavy breath blew out and he followed Dean toward the side door.

"Tell me about it," he said, angry, worried, focused on finding a way in. The door they came up to was locked as it should be, leaving windows. "After you, you've got the axe," he said, pointing out the choices of busting the door or breaking glass.

"Let's just get to her." He muttered, swinging the axe and smashing out the glass in the window, they didn't have time to break down the door. Sam was quick to climb through, dropping down to the floor and ducking down as he looked around for signs and listened for sounds. Which he could hear, faintly the sound of a fight and he looked for access to the basement.

Down in the basement of the wharehouse, Cordelia stood in the semi dark waiting for the contact she was supposed to meet. She was not expecting there to be several or for them to be the lizard like demons Sam had seen in his vision. What she was supposed to be meeting was an entirely different kind of demon, one that could give her the information she needed for Sam. The source who had set up the meeting had double crossed her and sold her to the demons Sam saw in his vision instead of arranging the meeting with the real contact.

She hadn't exactly brought an arsenal with her, even leaving her crossbow behind as it wasn't something she could hide discretely. She had been wise enough to wear stylish dark blue jeans, boots -with a heel, and a grey long sleeve shirt. Cordy had a decent sized knife hidden under her pant leg, but when she saw the demons come in, she had a feeling like her 'little' knife wasn't going to be enough. She took a step back as three came in and started to fan out in front of her.

Two more had gone up around to come in behind her, but were on the ground floor when the boys busted in. They turned and one headed for the stairwell while the other came toward where Sam and Dean were coming in.

Dean pulled his sleeve around his hand to break out a fist-sized jagged tooth of glass and hang onto it, just in case, tucking it in his pocket in place of the flashlight he took out. He beamed it around in a few quick passes as he followed Sam, hoping to find an open stairwell, but expecting more doors. The hope faded as the light hit the stairwell they wanted and the movement of something on its way up. "Sam..!" He hissed and yelled.

His eyes followed the direction of Dean's flashlight and he nodded. "Well I guess that's where we're going.." He moved to find a spot where he'd be able to get the drop on the creature, though he didn't have much time or advantage -it knew they were there. The shouts of the other demons and the sounds of struggle grew louder as he got closer to the stairwell. He wasn't about to waste time and went at the demon, swinging his axe.

He didn't really have an idea of size, but understood they were fast. Hopefully not faster than bullets as far as slowing them down or distracting them went. While Sam got a swing in at the first, he was getting a better idea that just the gun wasn't going to be enough. These things had scales all over, pretty thick ones. He slithered his own way around to drop behind the one on the stairs and try to send a slug through it to slow it down for Sam.

The thing slowed but it didn't stop, the sound of the gunfire alerted the rest to their pressence if the second demon hadn't already. "Shoot it again!" Sam yelled, pulling the axe free and ducking as the demon swung at him, he pulled the axe up and swung for it's shoulder.

From below a definately non demon and female scream echoed as Codrelia fought against the others. Sharp claws had caught her arm but she'd managed to slip out of it's grasp, her knife in hand lashing out as best she could to damage them when they tried to grab her.

Another shot rang out as Sam had asked, uprooting a couple scales and hopefully wounding it enough for it to think twice before swinging at Sam again. Dean disappeared down another level as Cordelia screamed, skittering down the stairs to find her and hoping it wasn't some twisted version of MarcoPolo. He wasn't really going to wait for her to scream again. One down, how many to go, he wondered.

Sam continued to hack at the one he was fighting, noting that Dean went down the stairs after the scream was heard. The scream urged him to go more forcefully at this thing so he could get down to help Dean and Cordelia.

She wasn't going to keep four of them off of her for long, one would move and she tried to defend as another came at her from the other side. "Well at least you're not mucus demons." She muttered, attempting to find a bright side to her situation. She yelped as she felt hands or paws or whatever closing around her arm and she tried to jerk away. The grip was strong and solid and she spun with knife in hand to find out what grabbed her.

Beheading, he said? The one furthest back in the crowd got a deep slash on one side of its neck from the glass shard, enough to leave the chunk lodged where Dean couldn't pull it out for another swipe. Whatever fueled the things oozed out in creepy black-matter fashion over the glass and scales and Dean kicked the startled beast away, aiming for a shot to keep it down. Now that he had their attention... "Hey guys... how's it going?" The grin might have worked for tipsy sorority girls, but not for demons apparently. It disappeared into fancy foot work to draw their attention from Cordy enough to get her out of the corner.

Her blade stabbed into the eye of the one that grabbed her and it shrieked in pain. Of course that was a good and bad thing, she was out of the corner as it sent her flying into some wooden crates along the other wall. Her knife was knocked from her hand and went skittering across the floor.

One of the demons moved towards Dean while the other two went back for the girl who was slowly trying to get up.

"Just run! Go!" He hoped she could get up. The one on the floor met a foot against the glass, hoping that as he completed its pass through, it would send the demon into smoke and black vengeance. He looked at the severed pieces that sat there. "Crap. I need an axe," he grimaced, wiping some of the ooze off his face to see and take a shot at the new one coming at him. The gun went off and his attention turned quickly toward the crates. "Cordelia?!"

She could get up, just not quickly. Trying to shake off the stars and push the broken pieces of wood off her. Her long legs kicked the pieces away and she was on her feet, a slight staggered step as she got her bearings. "Dean?" She gasped, she hadn't had time to register he was there before the demon sent her flying after she'd stabbed it in the eye. She looked at Dean now, wondering where the heck he'd come from and thanking the powers for that stroke of good fortune. "Duck!" She yelled as the other demon swung a sharp clawed hand at his head.

He'd been well taught that if anyone yelled 'duck', don't ask. He dropped into a tumble to roll out of the path of whatever it was and look back to aim another shot from the floor. He made note of the markings, the darker scales Sam mentioned. The shot wasn't going to do it. He scrambled back to help Cordelia get her bearings and keep between her and the thing. "Get upstairs!"

She looked at him as if not knowing whether to glare at him for barking at her or kiss him for coming to her rescue. She moved and the thing shifted -following her movements. "I don't like the way.. right.. going upstairs.." She grabbed Dean's sides lightly, keeping him directly in front of her and tugging slightly to make sure he was going up with her. "C'mon.."

Upstairs Sam was hacking the demon to ensure it stayed down since it had gotten up once. He was panting a bit as his footsteps sounded at the top of the stairs, heading down to find Dean and Cordelia.

"I got it, just go," he said over his shoulder. It dodged to go after her and Dean shot, keeping the thing's attention on him. "Buuuttt ugly," he stated, not like he was trying to make a friend here. He scouted the floor for anything else to keep it from going up the stairs, opting for a piece of board from one of the broken crates that had a few unfriendly staples jabbing rawly out the end. Club in one hand, he swung and sent another shot to the creature's other arm. "Sam?!?"

She stopped backing away when she realized he wasn't coming with her. "Dean.. I can't leave you down here." This was her mess and she wasn't going to run away to leave him to face these demons on his own.

Sam heard his name called and his steps pounded down the stairs. "Dean!" He yelled as he came into view, axe in hand and seeing Cordelia behind Dean, thankfully in one piece.

The lizardy fangs and dark scales somehow looked angrier though it was hard to tell much difference as it slashed out at Dean, catching the staple in it's clawed hand and flinging the board away. "So much for that idea," he sighed, moving quickly out of reach again. Head and arms, covered in scaled armor.. just great. There had to be another axe in this place somewhere, maybe something as good as one. He hadn't seen one down here so far and launched himself up the stairs, ushering the other two with him. "This isn't going to do much. C'mon - anything up here, sharp, big, preferably close."

She spun as he suddenly started up the stairs and nearly knocked into Sam as she started to run. "Hey Sam." She pushed and turned him to get his butt up the stairs before that thing got to them.

Sam stumbled as Cordy shoved at him but he was quick to move and looked back over his shoulder as they 'spilled' out onto the ground floor again. "Dean!" He yelled, waiting for his brother to look so he could 'toss' him the axe. The leader wasn't giving up and was coming up behind them fast!

Cordelia pushed past Sam and kept going, there had to be something they could use up here.

The demon had the girl in his sight and his quick movements were meant to get him to her and past the others that tried to keep her from him.

Dean looked up past Cordelia's distracting and quickly dodging form as Sam yelled down. He reached up for the weapon as it was half-tossed-half-dropped to his grasp. He was up another step juggling the axe, gun and running to get one safely put away and the other solidly in his grip to turn and swing. The first was a clean miss, but a warning enough. The lizard king thing swung back and Dean dodged but still caught a claw across his chest.

They might have heard the shattering glass as her elbow smashed through it and she pulled another axe free from the emergency box on the far wall. She turned in time to see that the lizard thing had heard it and his head turned, even though for just a moment -the gaze directly on her. A serious chill walked over her. "Oh... oh crap." She held the axe in her hands and started back towards the boys and the lizard, trying to look more confident than she felt at the moment.

Sam saw the moment of distraction and pulled his own gun out, taking a shot to turn it's attention to him, giving the other two a chance to go at it with their weapons.

For whatever reason he hadn't expected it, the shot from Sam made him flinch. Instead of swinging, he leveraged himself to try and kick the thing back down the steps and gain them a moment to regroup. Damn lizard had a tail and it kept him upright. The thing grabbed Dean's ankle and pulled him down.

"Hey!" She sounded pissed and if her voice wasn't enough, maybe the blow of the axe was enough to make her point. Instead of going high where the armor like scales were, she swung under and up to drive the axe low into it's belly or if she was lucky it's male parts, she was taking a chance that it would work.

Sam groaned as the spray of dark lizard demon juice splattered over him and Cordy. Whatever parts she'd hit, the axe had done some damage. The demon let out a bellow and lashed out at her. Sam let off another shot toward it's shoulder and chest. "Dean.. you alright?"

"Peachy," he hissed out in obvious pain and trying to get back the breath that had been flattened out of him. He poked his head up carefully only to see the axe he'd held had slid out of reach down the steps a few feet. The creature was distracted enough by the holes and the splatter that drenched Dean where he lay beside the thing that kept moving up the steps. He spit out whatever hit his mouth and reached back to grab the lizard's foot in turn and keep it on the stairs. "Hey! Down here - lookin' for somebody?!" He yelled and gave a swipe to pull the lizard down with him.

"Dean!?" Both Cordy and Sam spoke it at once as he pulled the lizard down the stairs with him. "Is he insane?" Cordy asked Sam as she reached to help him up and follow the fight as it went back down.

Sam gave her a half smile and his eyebrow twitched up and down. "Yeah, he is.." He nodded and moved toward the top of the stairs, jerking back as the thing clawed and lashed out.

The gun at this close of range was bound to be painful for them both, but he rolled to dislodge it as the thing landed next to him and bring it close to the thing's head, neck, shoulder - something - and fire another shot, buying a moment to crawl after the axe.

Two sets of foot steps decended the stairs after the creature and Dean. They hadn't tumbled all the way down but far enough for Sam and Cordy to chase after. Sam fired another shot at the lizard to keep it at bay as he watched Dean crawling away.

With it knocked back a moment Cordy stepped in with a powerful swing, the axe slamming into the armour that protected the lizard's upper body. Scales ripped away and the blade hit softer flesh beneath. It wasn't enough to take off it's head, but it was no longer trying to rip Dean apart. It howled again, moving more slowly but still with enough strength to swing it's tail out to knock Cordy off her feet this time.

Dean clasped the end of the axe and pulled it up into his free hand. He was running out of shots in this clip and they were only tickling the thing it seemed. He put the gun out of harm's way again and got to his feet, clasping the axe firmly and going after the creature with more strength now that he had a second wind. It swung at Cordelia with its tail and he swung at one arm...

Dismemberment and beheading? Who knew, maybe the thing had more than one brain. Where the repeated gunshots had pierced the lizard's shoulder, the axe cleaved through finally, leaving it off balance and shrieking in pain.

Sam picked up on the idea and aimed the best he could to get a shot in or close to where Cordelia had weakened it's scales on it's upper body. He had more rounds left than Dean, as he'd not used his earlier. His next shot went at the other shoulder.

Cordy winced as she tumbled and expected to be minced but was relieved when Dean cleaved the thing's arm off. She grabbed the rail and pulled herself back up, one hand reaching to pull her axe up again. She waited till Sam took his second shot and she swung at the howling creature. She caught the weaked shoulder but not at the right angle to take the other arm off.

"Got it - move!" He didn't want to hit her in the process and waited only for her to get out of the way. There was another of these things laying headless but still armored and with both arms in the corner he remembered. "Sam - corner... down there!" He nodded to the bottom of the stairs, not wanting to get jumped as he swung at the shoulder again and got the arm.

As he told Sam about the other one, she moved to hand Sam her axe, he'd need it. Cordy stepped out of the way so he could get down the stairs before the demon got up. She also moved back to stay out of Dean's way, she'd gotten more than enough lizard crud on her, the boys had their share of it as well.

Sam jogged down the stairs, cautious of the creature as he approached in case it decided to jump up. He saw it twitch and started slamming the axe into it's shoulders to hack it's arms off before it got up.

Once the second arm was hacked it was losing steam in its fight but not its anger. It turned on Dean again and snapped out with strong jaws and jagged teeth. More reflex than anything he swung again at the head, hitting scales on that side, but knocking the thing out of his way to get past.

Sam's headless demon was a little easier for him to handle as it didn't try to bite him and swung blindly a few times but he was able to avoid being hit and continued to chop until both arms were seperated from it's body. "Dean.. where are the other ones?" His voice called as he looked around, there had been at least four, but he was sure it was five.

Cordy heard the noise with only enough time to turn her head to look before the angry and rapidly moving lizard demon sprang at her. She yelped, dropped back and tried to roll out of the way.

"No!!" Dean's answer to Sam was screamed out. He was already coming back up the steps but moving that much faster now to knock the other one away from Cordelia. He had no idea how fast the leader was moving behind him but he took the chance to swing as he jumped around Cordy at the thing's closest anything.

She rolled onto her knees and would have scampered away if it hadn't grabbed for her leg, clasping her ankle until Dean jumped at it and pulled it back a little. She rolled again and kicked the thing in the face as Dean tried to tackle? it.

Sam heard Dean scream out and he was coming up the stairs at a run, the leader was trying to charge at Dean and the other. With a grunt Sam swung at it's neck the axe sunk in but didn't go through. With what sounded a bit like a battle cry he charged at it, driving the blade deeper with the pressure and force of his momentum. The beast shrieked and gurgled as the axe went through.

Dean tumbled with the one that took his axe at its shoulder in a direction away from the others and into the stacks of debris it had been hiding behind. The piles tipped and scattered around them before Dean dislodged the axe and stepped back. He couldn't get a clean shot at anything through the junk.

Cordelia reached to get to her feet again with a sigh, she looked at Dean with a frown. "It's too early in the morning for this.. I am so definately taking you guys to breakfast... after another shower." She made a face and pulled at the wet shirt which was sticking to her skin.

Sam finally finished with the other one and came up the rest of the stairs, a few harsh cuts on his arms and tears in his shirt. He looked at the pile and at Dean, he puffed out a sigh. "Ready.." He shifted a piece out of the way, ready if anything jumped up.

Dean was catching his own breath and swabbed away a bit of blood from the scratch on his chest. It was mostly dry, but it stung, hopefully not poison. He nodded. "Ready," he said, holding the axe and ready to swing.

"Guys..?" She motioned to herself and that she was totally unarmed now, giving them a look as if to say you better give me something.

Sam looked at her and moved another piece, freezing as something moved beneath the pile. "There!"

Dean kicked off another piece and swung down, hopefully out of Sam's way. He'd hit something clean through to the floor beneath and let go of the axe, staggering back onto his butt to get his own head back on straight and clear Sam's path. Cordelia was muttering... "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

She had a hand gesture for him and folded her arms to watch the boys be all macho and leave her there to.. watch. She would have helped him up, but he was a big strong guy, he could get himself up.

Sam took a swing at what he hoped was the demon's shoulder, though he wasn't sure as he hit something but didn't hear any screams. "Damn it.."

With a roll of her eyes she stepped forward. "I have an idea, since I don't have an axe.. I'll move.. you guys chop."

"What's your problem? Some gratitude," Dean huffed, insulted but getting over it damned fast as he realized Sam wasn't getting the desired results. He was back on his feet and reaching for the axe. If he had to fight her to get at it, he might not think twice about it now.

"I'm trying to help you find it so you can kill it! What's your problem?" She turned to him for half a second and then decided to keep her eyes on the pile. "I am.. I have plenty of gratitude.. I was just waiting till we got out of here alive before I gushed.. unless you'd like me to swoon and kiss you while these things rip us to shreds?" She pointed to the piece she was about to move to let him know where to look.

Sam had to swallow hard not to laugh at the way she barked back a Dean, not taking his lip for a moment. He got ready to swing again, poised for 'his turn'.

"Funny way of showing it, that's all. They're not gonna win, you can trust me on that," he snapped back, digging into an arm full of debris to shift out of the way. Something wasn't right. "Sam, how many of these things did you say there were? None of them have dusted yet," he realized, looking around at the lizard crew strewn about. "I think we missed one."

"There were four downstairs." She answered and pulled a larger piece out of the way, moving in case something was under it and they needed to swing at it. "Okay.. this is alot of fun.." She said a little dryly and stepped back to toss the piece aside.

Sam was focused on the pile at first and slowly shook his head. "There was only one down there when I went, the one on the stairs.. this one.. there is one missing." The last was said as his head lifted and Cordelia let out a small squeak as she was grabbed from behind and lifted off the floor by the larger creature behind her.

"Sam behind yo-.. he-... THERE!" He didn't see where it emerged from but it had her and he was on the wrong side of a shitload of junk to get to her easily.

"I see it! What do you want me to do hit her?" He exclaimed trying to manuver a way to hit it without getting her. "Dean.. I'm open to suggestions." He trailed off looking at the way the thing held her, it must have picked up her knife from downstairs as it held it to her throat to keep her still. "Dean.." His voice lowered. "This is.. it.."

"It? What 'it'?" His gun... he rarely missed and sure as heck hoped he wouldn't this time. He pulled it back out and aimed carefully like he was going against any random hostage taker. "What am I supposed to do, Sam? Let it take her? I don't think so."

"My vision -it!" He hissed, shaking his head. "No.. you don't let it take her.." His hands tightened on the handle of the axe and he swung it as the other lunged from the pile -just as he'd seen it, except he and Dean hadn't been here in his vision. The axe connected with the neck of the one lunging and it's head seperated, flying off like a ball that had been kicked.

The distraction worked more on him than it seemed to on the lizard thing. They'd fended off all the others, so the vision wasn't quite the same, but this is where it had ended before, not the way any of them wanted it to. "You said these things do what... use them for food or... other stuff? I mean, is it gonna kill her now or wait a while?" His questions may have sounded stupid but it was a stall only to look around the thing and make sure there wasn't another way.

The gun was held steady as he asked and he went after it, step by step carefully around the debris but watching Cordelia. He'd try to take out the arm holding the knife first but the shot would be very close.

Cordy was trying very hard not to move with the knife held so tightly against her throat, she almost didn't want to breathe. Her eyes followed Dean as he moved.

Sam paused in his answer since he knew Cordelia would hear it too. "They don't use them for food.. they use them for something else.. Dean you do not want this thing to go anywhere with her and believe me she'll be really grateful for that."

It was strange seeing the situation from the outside this time, not being the one who held her. In a way he felt sorry for the thing if she bucked her head back into its jaw like she had to him the night they all met, the difference being the knife that kept her from moving much at all. "I don't think it's gonna get very far, do you?" His eyes held steady as if telling her 'don't move'... and he let the shot ring out hoping she'd only get scratched if cut at all as the shoulder was hit.

She was looking right at Dean and she felt as though her heart was going to slam itself right out of her chest it was beating so fast and hard. Her eyes stayed on him until he let off the shot, at which time they closed and her hand went up to try to keep the blade from slicing her neck as the creature jerked. Its hold loosened enough that she fell from it's grip and kept herself on the ground so she would be out of the way as the boys went after it. Her shirt was torn again and her shoulder stung, but she didn't check yet to find out the damage.

Sam abandoned hacking up the one he'd just beheaded and turned to help Dean take the last one down. The axe flipped and swung as soon as Cordelia was out of the way, he went right for the arm Dean had damaged with his shot.

Letting Sam take his turn at the thing, Dean spun down to check on Cordelia and help her out of the way. "You're good, we gotcha," he said, trying to be convincing enough until he saw the damage for himself, hoping not to see any.

She nodded to his words, nearly curling into him as he helped her to get out of the way, her hand resting on his arm as she reminded herself to breathe evenly. "Just go kill the crap out of that thing for me, will ya?"

Dean was getting Cordy out of the way, so Sam ducked and dodged, slamming the axe into the thing's shoulder again, it wailed and he was encouraged. Again, the arm seperated this time -thank goodness. These things did not go down easy, well all that grave digging was finally paying off -he was strong enough to keep at it.

"I think he's killing pretty much everything out of that thing," he said, looking up at Sam's swinging. Geeez he scared the crap outta him sometimes, making him really glad their fights with each other stopped at an occasional slug on the jaw.

"Yeah I think he is.." She watched over his shoulder for a moment then looked away. Sam seemed to have everything under control and would soon have little kabob pieces if he kept it up. "Does that mean I have to.. show my gratitude now?" She smiled despite how much certain parts of her hurt at the moment. Her hand tightened on his arm a little and she shifted closer to him.

"C'mon, let's see that demon smoked already," he said instead of really answering her though she moved closer and he didn't fight it. He didn't really mind holding her down that first time either until she clocked him.

[Lovely]

August 4, 2009
3 p.m.


Sam looked at the journal, then the page that had fallen out, wondering where it had been to fall out now after all the abuse the book had been through when he wasn't even flipping pages. It was almost like the page jumped on its own. He folded the journal closed under his arm and picked up the paper, unfolding it to see it was a handwritten letter that made his expression pale. His lips moved around the words he read silently with a crooked grin. 'Dear John,' it apparently started, but that was the only similarity to anything humorous. He read on, ignoring Dean's babbling for the moment.

"... or something about symbols. You know like signs, headbangers or whatever? Sam? Yoohoo...? Come in Houston. Do we have a problem?" Dean was resorting to snaps and waves until he realized Sam wasn't even looking in the journal. He pulled the paper out of his brother's hands. "Passing notes in class, Sammy? I thought you were helping us look for a case, here." He started to look over the letter himself. He simply looked confused.

"Harbingers."

"What?"

"Harbingers, Dean. Signs and portents? Ravens, locusts, shooting stars... they're harbingers, not headbangers. Speaking of... what do you make of that? It just fell out Dad's journal - more like jumped out," Sam said, watching Dean's expression.

"Son of a b-... No. Noooo way. He did NOT do this. This is a hoax, Sammy," Dean said, pushing the paper back at his brother's chest. Harbinger, alright. He was doomed to hell and back at least twice if it was true.

Sam looked at the floor again for anything else and opened the journal again, curious what page it would show him. It was the middle where it often opened but poking out from a couple different pages were small sharp edges he tugged on revealing a couple of photographs. One was the kind done in strips from a carnival booth and the other was a wallet photo, bent and singed on the edge. There was no mistaking the smile in either picture. "A hoax? Really? These look pretty real, Dean. I think we'd know a mock up, but these are the real deal." He held the pictures up that were of Cordelia from her high school days.

Wesley's foot hit a box as he tried to remain casual behind the lobby counter. "Sorry to interrupt. Mail call," he said holding out an opened envelope. "This came addressed to you. I opened it by mistake." He couldn't look Dean in the eye at the moment.

"You opened my mail? I don't get mail. Nobody sends me anything to the real me, ever," Dean said, more than confused now and looking to Sam for help. He took the envelope and looked inside, pulling out a second page of the letter and a business card. He showed it to Sam. "Angel Investigations - we help the hopeless. Nope, no making that up. How'd that part get in the journal, Wes?" He wondered how much the man had snooped into this as he read the rest of the letter and looked at the attached form with it.

"I was dusting," Wesley replied, not wanting to incriminate himself further.

"I think it's really from her mom, Dean. She needs to see this. She'll hit the roof, but it's only fair. She needs to know," Sam said.

Since everything seemed to be happening as if on some silent timer for just the right moment, it shouldn't be surprising that the 'she' in question walked into the lobby. Cordelia was dressed in her one really nice outfit, hair and make up done, heels and all - she'd gotten a modeling job which was helping to fill in a few gaps with bills and supplies between the more important cases they found. She hadn't really told anyone about it but borrowed Angel's car to make the trip into the city and came back carrying a few heavy bags with food, first aide, and of course the clothes she'd gotten to keep. That part was way cool, but didn't excite her quite as much as it used to it, maybe she was just tired. "Wow.. what did I miss? You all look way too serious.. maybe you should try decaf?" She teased the three men as she hauled her bags up onto the counter.

Sam gave his brother the scolding, motherly look of insistence that he be the one to tell Cordelia about the letter and the rest.

"Cordelia...?" Wes had certainly noticed the outfit, but didn't want to be too obvious. Perhaps it wasn't new and he'd be foolish to point out his approval if it was 'some old thing' she had for years. "Let me help you with those," he dodged, paying attention to the bags instead to help her put things away.

"Us, serious? No, it was just a contest to see who could look more pensive. Angel still wins," Dean said, turning to silently yell at Sam whom he thought would be better at breaking the news to her.

After a few silent choice words and pantomiming, followed by the winning rock-paper-scissors throw, Sam made sure the papers and photos were all in Dean's hands despite the efforts to pawn the task off on him. The letter had been addressed to Dean, afterall.

He cleared his throat and looked at the slightly crushed collection of documents while Sam resumed his search through the journal for whatever they were looking up to start with. "Soooo...," he started, coughing a little with indecision of where to start. "Cordy, you used to live in L.A., right?"

Most of Cordy's things had been destroyed with her apartment back in L.A. so this outfit was one of only a few she had to her name, it was definitely not one she'd had for years. To be honest, the stuff she'd had in L.A wasn't old either, she'd lost pretty much everything when her father had lost everything to the IRS. "Thanks." She spoke to Wesley, giving him a smile and tapping one bag. "This all goes to the kitchen, it's not much but.." She shrugged at her meger offering, it was something at least. Cordy turned to Dean almost absently as she set the outfit aside from one of the two remaining bags, which left the first aid stuff to be added to their supplies. "Umm yeah.. L.A. for awhile and Sunnydale before that. Why?" She looked up to him and her expression shifted to questioning as she noticed how weird he was acting.

He folded the papers together carefully to try and put them back in the envelope without drawing attention to them yet. Slipping an ace in a cuff was one thing, but a copy of a birth certificate was a little more tricky. He shrugged as she looked up to see what he was doing. "You lived in Sunnydale a long time, right? Knew a lot of things about a lot of people, kinda the scoop on the whole town, that sort of thing?"

Sam glanced up from the journal. An eyebrow rose but nothing more indicated that he listened in as he began pacing as if really engrossed in the page in his hand.

Wesley took the bags earmarked for the kitchen and left them to their discussions for the moment.

At first she wasn't sure how to react to that but then chuckled and shrugged. "I guess so.. well more everyone I thought was important.. which was the popular and wealthy.. and cute rich college boys.. But if you need to know about someone from back there, I'll do my best to remember something.. I crushed plenty of geeks and nerds under my heels.."

As if specific names had been mentioned, both Dean and Sam turned toward the kitchen where Wes had vanished for the time being. Dean scowled at Sam as he realized they'd thought the same thing. Now he couldn't remember the name on the paper he'd just read and had to unfold it again. "Did you ever know a...," he said, pausing long enough to find and read the mother's name on the form out loud. "I mean, did she know your family or anything, maybe have some kind of curse or anything on one of your cousins, maybe, or did your folks ever go to her for some kind of service they never paid her for? Like, that she might be trying to cash in the karma on now?"

"What are you talking about? That -is- my mother! So, yeah.. I know her. What is this?" She reached to try to snatch the paper away from Dean, her smile half there as if she wasn't sure whether it was some sort of joke or if she should be upset. "Why do you want to know about her?"

Dean looked at Sam again for help, only to see him turn his back to begin pacing the other direction, though he only stood there like a wall now. Dean grimaced again and jumped as Cordy yanked the paper from him. "Hey! Fine, but you don't really want to look at that, trust me. I just want to know how your mom knew our dad."

Cordy gave a triumphant "haha!" as she got hold of the paper and looked at the date on it as she realized what it was, but not the names yet. "How am I supposed to know how she knew your dad, I was even..." Her words trailed off as she realized this was her birth certificate or supposed to be and her eyes moved over the names again and again trying to make them change. "This.. is not funny.." She spoke quietly, turning her glare on Dean as if he'd been trying to play a joke that went so very wrong. "Where did you get this?" She demanded, looking down at the names again, they were clearly printed, signed, and the official seal stamped into the document.. but it was lying! Thier father could not be her father.. her father was her father!

[Lovely]

August 25, 2009
6:30 p.m.
The Hotel

Wesley held his hand up against the air, pushing Gunn's comment about 'dinnertime' as far away as possible before holding the hand to his stomach and shuffling closer to the invitingly puffy chair in the lobby. The dark corridor behind him didn't even earn another glance. The two-headed axe missed the hook in the cabinet and clattered to the floor and he turned finally to acknowledge that there had been a sound of something almost normal, unlike the shrieking and flailing creature that painted him from head to holster in gook. He detached the holster and the stakes it carried before sitting and puncturing anything else. He was green beneath the green and brown ooze and didn't seem to care about smearing any of it onto the furniture. His hands were still shaking, but somewhere beneath the jitter was a sheen of victory against evil and the faint smile of courage and relief. "Please tell me there were only the two of them, Cordelia. How are you? ... by the way?" He wasn't sure she was even close by to hear him since his eyes had managed to close themselves.

Cordelia wasn't far behind Wesley but looked as though she'd fared slightly better than he did with whatever it was they had fought. "Just the two." She confirmed as she set her weapons into the cabinet, the crossbow and curved blade thing she had used, she couldn't remember what it was called and at the moment didn't care. She picked up the axe for Wes and hung it up before she moved over, slowly to stand next to his chair. Her gaze washed over him with concern showing deep in her eyes. "I think I'll be alright.. though my very limited wardrobe may be in trouble. I think we have dates with the shower and the first aide kit.. I'll patch yours if you patch mine?" She laughed at the sorry excuse for a joke sounding tired after the hours they had spent tracking and fighting these things.

The smile curved a bit more. "Humor? You never cease to amaze me," he said, opening his eyes to find her hovering close enough to make him jump and reach for a stake out of reflex. He looked at his hand as if it were not even attached to himself and back to her, dropping the stake and sinking into a hole he wished was deeper. "Sorry..."

She watched him as he grabbed the stake, which he corrected and she didn't get mad over it. She shook her head to his apology and comments about her. "Me.. amaze you? I think you have that backwards.. you were amazing today." She spoke quietly and reached her hand out to him instead of swatting him or scolding him for his reflex. "Come on.. we need showers and I have a bandaide with your name on it."

"Oh? Are we out of Xander's Snoopy ones?" He looked at her hand as if it were as alien as his own a moment ago and confusion warped his exhausted expression. "I would scarcely call being nearly beheaded by a tentacled Frother demon 'amazing'. It would be down on the charts as akin to drowning in the brushes at the robo-wash. I was lucky," he said, criticizing his own timing.

She sighed and gave him a look that said 'shut up Wesley' and she stepped around in front of his chair, firmly grabbing both of his hands. "Well it looked amazing from where I was standing." She told him with one eyebrow arched up as if she was telling him how it was and that was that. "..and yes we're out of Snoopy.. lucky you."

Her grasp on his hands brought him back to some semblance of normal time and space. He grinned. "Lucky me," he agreed, finding himself grasping back and standing again though he'd been sure he had no energy at all left. He glanced back the oozie streaks on the leathery cushions. "I don't suppose... from where you were standing... that it looked at all like it missed any spot on my person? I feel completely encased in slime."

"No, I'm sorry.. you're more slimed than I am." She smiled softly at him and nodded toward the stairs where showers awaited them. "Shower and I'll meet you in your room with the first aide kit." He looked as tired as she felt and he'd seemed to have taken a worse beating than she had. Of course he'd taken on the larger of the two creatures to try to protect her somewhat, it was pretty noble of him to do so.

"Alright," he nodded, feeling the stickiness beginning to stiffen even that slight movement. He turned and started for the stairs before anything else started to congeal, though he paused. "Cordelia... are...," he wasn't sure what exactly he meant to ask. His thoughts were scattering away from him as the urgency of the situation faded further away with them. "Are you sure you're alright?"

She seemed unsure herself for a moment after he asked her if she was alright, but she gave him a faint smile and nodded. "I'm just a little tired.. go on.. I'll be there in a few minutes." She took a step to follow him, needing to stop at her room to shower quickly and grab the first aide kit she kept in there.

Wesley nodded, though there was still something strange in the air. To his knowledge this wasn't the type of demon to have altering or inducing chemicals like some they'd encountered recently. Still, he wasn't convinced that there wasn't more to this routine demon dispatch. He traded with a faint smile and a touch to his cheek, not sure if his finger put more marks on his face or if his face marked up his finger with more gook. "Going," he said, determined now and turning with his feet already in motion toward making himself more presentable. He needed that shower immediately. It was really no wonder she kept him at arm's length when he always looked like this. She'd said 'amazing' and he was beginning to think it was a new slang for 'pathetic'. Wesley sighed and took the steps quickly, disappearing to his room briefly to grab a clean and dark shirt and jeans then the second door was heard before the rattle of the water pipes signalled his immersion in the shower.

"I suppose we oughtta clean that up, huh?" Gunn grimaced at the smudged chair and came around the desk to head to the supply room. "I got it, I got it... you go on and do what you need to do. If this is all the slime I gotta handle today, I'm good," he said, giving Cordy a winning smile. "Just glad you made it back."

Cordelia looked back at Gunn with the same distant smile and nodded her head. "I'm glad we made it back too." She turned to keep going up the stairs and then stopped, looking over her shoulder with a soft, "Thank you." for Gunn cleaning up the mess. Cordy went slowly up the stairs and into her own room, she had very little choice in what she wore. Only a few things had survived the explosion that took away her apartment back in L.A. "Thanks for that." She murmured to herself reminded of the damage and how she'd been in the hospital for a couple of weeks after. That was likely why she felt.. so tired this evening.. or at least that was what she was telling herself. She was quick in the shower and changed into a clean set of clothes, her only clean set since two were now in need of washing.

Her thoughts kept going to Wesley and she was reminded of the last time they had ended up covered in slime and the effects that it had on her.. She dressed quickly and got the first aide kit, she was knocking on his door in a very short time.

Water dribbled off the ends of his darkening curls, flinging off in several directions as he pulled the door open suddenly. "Everything alright?! Another vision?" The reactions were on a short leash and again he found himself backing down as he saw Cordelia there, cleaned up and calm except for likely startling her with the burst of panic. Damn.. he grimaced a bit and backed away from the door, pulling the black t-shirt the rest of the way down over his bruised torso, stopping short as he found the sore spot on his back again. The grimace tightened from clear and unshrouded pain that caught him off guard. "Hah... aha, apparently, no... it didn't miss me anywhere," he bemoaned, trying to glance around his side or over his shoulder to see the mark and how big it really was.

Her mouth was left open without an answer as Wesley abruptly opened his door, she recovered as he backed off and she slowly tried to inch past him into his room. She moved toward him, one hand out as he reacted to pain while trying to pull his shirt down. "Maybe you should leave that off... and let me have a look." She suggested as she moved to set the kit down and started to reach to help him get the shirt back off. Her eyes showing that concern deeply nestled into her gaze as it washed over him.

"What? Oh... oh yes, of course," he said, distracted by his reactions and worry, more concerned about her than himself as always. She had a point, though, that she certainly couldn't help dress a wound if he was dressed over it. He pulled the shirt back up, more carefully, trying to keep it clean... cleaner... than the pile he was considering burning if they'd drawn in enough money to allow him to get new things himself. "Probably nothing more than a scrape.... I hope. You don't see any barbs do you?"

She closed her eyes a moment to try to clear her head and remember to look at his wounds rather than admire the muscle he revealed.. he'd certainly been keeping himself well hidden beaneath his usual attire. The flash she saw, an image from those dreams she'd had after the last sliming, ran through her mind and she gasped softly. Her eyes snapped open and she licked at her lips, her cheeks felt warm. "Ahh.. no, no barbs."

He heaved a sigh of minor relief. "Ah, good. No poison then... I hope. Hopefully it's not as humungous as it feels either. Is that bandage big enough? Nothing I'm going to suffer stitches over, is it? Oh god, I hope not. I have a book on healing potions... although it will need translating. You haven't been brushing up on your Thrubian, have you?"

"My what?" She shook her head seeking to clear it more and try to make some sense of what he was going on about, but him being all shirtless was very distracting even with his wounds. Oh right! That's what she was supposed to be concentrating on. "No stitches on this one, it's just a scrape and nasty bruise.. it probably hurts alot." That probably didn't help him relax much and she shook her head. "You'll be fine Wesley.. You're tough.. strong and you look even better than you did in my dreams."

Something in her demeanor made him question that slightly. "Cordelia? Isn't "fine" one of those words that you always say is used to mean expressly the opposite?" His color faded and he turned slowly, trying to read her expression. "It's worse, isn't it? I'm not going to be 'fine', is that what you're saying?" He tottered toward the bed and the kit she'd set down.

She was left grasping at air and feeling the room tilt a moment before she turned to follow him toward the bed and the kit so she could patch him up. "No.. I mean it is but.. I meant it. You're going to be fine.. good, you'll be good as new in a few days.. I was just distracted by the.. you in the.. How come you never told me you were all hard and nicely shaped under your shirt?"

His voice squeaked out under the mild panic and palor. "Excuse m-... hard and... what?" He definitely needed to sit down and shake his hearing back into order. He looked down at the scratches on his stomach and stretched a little to review the damages that looked different than they had in the mirror. "I... I don't know," he said, at a loss to handle what he thought she'd meant. "I suppose I should take that as a compliment. Thank you, Cordelia," he added, looking at her more curiously than before. "What dreams?" He'd heard her but now he was piecing together the statements and realizing it was him distracting her, not the wounds.

She was biting at her lip and standing in front of him with her arms wrapped around herself, her cheeks felt warm again and she couldn't help watching him as he stretched to get a better look. "It was a compliment.. You're welcome." She dragged her gaze away from his torso but couldn't meet his eyes as she scrambled for something to tell him other than the truth about the dreams. She couldn't come up with anything that a smart guy like him would believe and she sighed. "Just some dreams.. very vivid and graphic dreams I had... after the last time we got slimed fighting a demon.."

His expression darkened a little. "I see. And here I thought perhaps it might be genuine, not the product of... slime," he sighed. "Understandable, I suppose," he nodded, looking now for the first aide kit. "Best to cover up the scrape, hm?"

"It is genuine, you... " She got offended when he questioned and made his comments about her sincerity. "It has been for some time.. like since you kissed me after first arriving in LA.. the slime just.. made the dreams very intense. You know for a smart guy you can be pretty dumb!" She reached for the kit to yank it away before he could grab it. "Yes, I suppose it's best to cover it up."

The kit was pulled from his hand before he'd had a grasp on it... like so much else. He looked at her again, lost, embarrassed, least of all stunned to hear her admit such a thing. She was, after all, Cordelia Chase - known kicker of nerds and losers along the whole of the West coast, or was once. People change, he reminded himself. "I suppose you're right about that, too... I had no idea.. Cordy.. that you felt.... well anything at all. Watching you with Angel in the office, before he..," he stopped, his hand flailing for something to grasp hold of that wouldn't end horribly, although he nearly wished for a katana at the moment. He put his hands in his lap and closed his eyes, hoping that this was also a dream induced by the exhaution from their earlier demon hunting. Letting out a sigh, he started over, opening his eyes with that endearing compassion and worry clearly darkening them. "I wasn't aware of your feelings and didn't mean to make light of it. I'm sorry."

She sighed and shook her head a little, she almost looked close to tears and not the fake ones meant to get attention. "I'm sorry I snapped at you.. I'm just exhausted and.. I've been very lonely lately and everything that has happened.. it's just made me do alot of thinking.." Cordy set the kit down again, this time opening it to start pulling bandages and ointment out. "For awhile I didn't want you to know how I felt.. I was trying to be the girl I used to be. I thought if I could be her again that... all the really scary things that were happening would go away... and I probably pushed you away as well." She reached to swab some antiseptic on the scrapes she could see and reach. "I asked for you in the hospital.. when I woke up after the explosions.. I don't know if they told you.. you were the first person I asked for.. my first word was your name.."

He gasped as the icy ointment seeped into the wounds, but part was also the shock of her new admission. "Me? You asked for me? Though I couldn't have been further away, could I? I'm flattered, Cordelia. Though, I wonder.. how much convincing did it take to convince them I wasn't part of it? I'm not exactly 'unknown' to the Los Angeles police these days."

She sighed and shook her head a little, she blinked to help her keep her composure. "I tell you that you were the person I asked for when waking up in the hospital and you start wondering about what the police thought?" She continued her ministrations over his wounds with kindness and caring, even if he didn't seem to grasp how much he meant to her.

He turned as much as he could manage, hunting her as she fluttered around behind him to bandage him up. "Actually, no. I couldn't possibly care less about the police. They believe what they will, but we know better... much as I believed a few things that I'm finding might be quite different. I'm... I'm not very good with compliments, am I? Giving them or receiving them. Sort of had that part bred out of me with the Watcher training, actually. An 'atta boy' was as good as a silver bullet, leaving one vulnerable," he explained, watching her carefully as he turned more, sitting back further onto the bed to face her. "Leaving one's self open to the unexpected..." he added softly, finding himself staring now and piecing together all she'd told him since they'd returned.

She finished with his back and moved to tend his arms, noticing how tightly muscled they were, and how she'd never noticed them before. Part of that was due to his manner of dress and part of it was due to her own lack of really looking at what had been right in front of her for a long time now. "I haven't always been good at giving compliments, I'm much better with insults.. so maybe I'm saying things the right way. I'm not so good with being vunerable.. I Like to be in control of things and it's not easy for me to accept that I'm not.. What I'm trying to say is, I think I understand what you mean."

"I'm not sure," he chuckled, listening to how they were weaving around each other. "I believe I should say 'thank you'," he nodded and reached out for her hand. "For all you've said. I didn't understand, but I believe I'm beginning to."

"Are you?" She asked softly, letting him pull her hand away from his scrapes and bruises, her gaze drawn to his face. Her eyes met his and she searched to find something that would tell her that he felt the same things for her.

"Well that is what belief is about, isn't it? A certain hope... that I'm actually translating the language correctly and not about to summon up something we'll regret later on?" She was close, too close to let the chance escape him again, though he couldn't help but remember her soured reaction once before. People change, he heard echoing in his mind again... he could only hope that he'd changed enough for the better, that she'd still be thinking 'amazing' and not 'awkward' this time. Wesley held onto her hand a little more snugly as he leaned closer to attempt the kiss... and try to think if there was, in fact, a katana in the cabinet downstairs if this failed miserably.

She had been wanting to kiss him and so when he leaned she met him lightly at first, then slowly pressed into a more firm kiss. Apparently he had understood at least part of what she'd been trying to tell him and the kiss when he'd come to LA was not a fluke. The kiss they shared now was nothing like the awkward ones which had been exchanged just before the demise of Sunnydale High. Her eyes had slipped closed to enjoy the pleasant sensations of this tender kiss.

The aches suddenly were no longer important and the bandages were ignored. He hadn't been imagining the hesitation or the sideways glances, the distractions that nearly caused them both great harm with their demon friend. It was strange in the best of worlds what brought some together, and stranger still that something so wretched could push them close like this... or like Angelus he was quickly reminded of, now pulling away from the kiss with a great deal of new hesitation. He grinned regardless of the hovering shadow in his mind and his cheeks flushed deeply with a flustered and bashful red. "Thank you... again."

"Any time." She replied with the hint of a smile, she meant it though, the kiss had been very nice and she wouldn't refuse another like it. Cordy watched his face as he pulled back, the blush was sweet but there was something in his eyes which made her wonder what he was thinking of. She had to remind herself that it was part of who he was and not to get offended by the fact that kissing her couldn't wipe away every thought he had of all the horrible things they faced everyday. Brooding was supposed to be Angel's job, maybe Wesley had been spending too much time with him?