Disclaimer: Character and locations are not mine.
Cordelia is redeemed… sort of
Chapter 14
Buffy sat nervously in her chair, waiting for the L.A gang to arrive. The two days since Angel announced they were coming had flown by for Buffy. Finally they were arriving tonight.
Buffy’s days had been filled with nothing but research and patrol. If possible, patrol was even deader than it was before, worrying Buffy immensely. Last night she’d staked one vampire and that was it. She hadn’t seen even a coattail of anything else. Something had the underworld freaked and it was beginning to freak her.
So far, Giles had turned up a fat load of nothing. He had mentioned something about the End of days, but that wasn’t supposed to happen for a while yet. A funny shiver had gone through her when he’d mention that specific apocalypse. She had a funny feeling it was because that battle was the one she’d seen in her dream.
There was a way to stop it, she was sure, but the price would come heavily. Many people would die, many civilians and there would be many, if not total, losses in both hers and Angel’s camps. She thanked whatever god was listening for being given time to prepare. That dream had scared the hell out of her and she was going to do everything she could to prevent it from playing out.
She heard a scuffling noise and her head came up sharply, her heart leapt but settled back into it’s normal rhythm as Giles shuffled into the room, cup of tea in one hand, book in the other. ‘You know you could get seriously hurt doing that,’ she mused out loud, startling the Watcher.
Giles hissed at the hot tea sloshed over the rim, burning his hand. He lied the book down on the side table and took the cup with his free hand. He shook the burnt hand while glaring at Buffy. ‘If you hadn’t been sneaking around, I would have not had such an accident,’ he said harshly. His face softened immediately and he apologised.
‘They’re not here yet I take it,’ he said understandingly as he sat down beside her. His hand was an angry red but Buffy could see it wasn’t bad.
‘No,’ she replied despondently. ‘They should have been here by now. Maybe they’re no coming. Maybe he changed his mind. What if he decided there was no point in helping us?’
Giles smiled at her worries. She blushed a little, knowing she sounded like a love-struck teenager. Effectively, that’s kinda what she was. The sound of a motor had her up from her seat in a flash. She ran to the front door and stopped, not wanting to seem to eager. She smoothed down the front of her shirt and fixed her hair. After a couple of seconds, she moved forward and opened the door.
Angel stood on the threshold, hand raised to knock. A bright smile graced his face and Buffy felt herself robbed of breath. It was like seeing the sunrise for the first time; like being given that first taste of ice-cream- cookie dough fudge mint chip- and being old enough to appreciate it. She smiled back and he pulled her into a hug, kissing her lightly on the cheek. She smiled into his shoulder then pulled back, extending a greeting to the rest of the A.I team.
Wesley stood there looking very uncomfortable so she addressed him first. ‘Giles is just inside,’ she told him, nodding in that general direction. He inclined his head then took his leave and broke away to go meet the Watcher.
Gunn, Connor and Fred were also waiting, standing there as though they had nothing better to do. Lorne was absent. Gunn stepped to the side, revealing a person Buffy thought she was unlikely to see ever again.
‘Cordelia?’ she asked in disbelief. The brunette stood slightly behind the others, a tense look on her beautiful face. What the hell was that bitch doing here? Willow was going to have a fit. She looked to Angel for answers.
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘She had a vision,’ he told her as though it would explain everything.
She stepped back and put her hands on her hips. ‘And?’ she asked eyebrow raised. Why did she need to come?
Angel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It spiked up even more than usual, making Buffy want to reach up and play with it. She resisted, turning instead to Cordelia.
‘What does your vision have to do with your being here?’ she asked plainly. There was no need to get nasty yet.
‘My vision has nothing to do with you,’ Cordelia half sneered. The former cheerleader turned to the souled vampire. ‘Angel, forget this. We should just go to my dad’s place. I’m sure he’d put you and me up for the night. If not, you could always sleep in my room,’ she offered.
Gunn made a choking sound and Buffy glanced at him to see his face red from the laughter he was holding in. Connor merely looked annoyed and Fred had flushed with mortification. Angel said nothing. Buffy just looked at her like she was stupid. She opened her mouth but Connor beat her to it.
‘I knew you were desperate, Cordy but, jeez. He’s standing with his girlfriend, or are you too stupid to realise that?’ Connor said contemptuously. Buffy smiled at the roundabout way Connor defended his father. She didn’t think anybody else realised that that’s what he was doing.
Buffy returned her attention to Angel. ‘I thought you’d brought her with you because she’d changed. Obviously I thought wrong. She’s not welcome here,’ she said loudly, so everyone could hear. She motioned the others inside and turned to follow. Angel stopped her with a light touch on her arm.
‘She has changed,’ he said.
‘Yeah, I could see that,’ Buffy nodded sarcastically. ’What a change.’
‘Angel,’ Cordelia’s voice interrupted. They both turned to look at her. ‘Can I talk to Buffy for a moment? Alone.’
After a moment Angel nodded. He squeezed Buffy’s arm for a moment then left without a word, joining the others inside.
Buffy eyed the brunette warily. Nothing good could come out of this conversation, she was sure. The woman was not exactly known for her tact or diplomacy; things Buffy knew within moments of meeting her.
‘Look, Buffy. I know Angel doesn’t want me. I’ve been trying for years to get his attention but he never took any notice. All of a sudden you come in and he pays even less attention to me than he used to. Within days of meeting you, he’d walk around all broody, wearing his Buffy-face and it got to me. I remembered you slightly from the rescue but I never knew you were the one he was pining over until in saw you when I came to the hotel. My jealousies took over and I lashed out. Everyone was caught in the crossfire.
‘I couldn’t help it,’ she continued. I’m sorry. I’ve already apologised to the guys. Now all I have left is Willow and Xander.’
Buffy found this whole turnaround hard to believe. There was no way the girl could go from full flown bitch to this repentant female in front of her. ‘Willow wanted to kill you, you know?’ she said idly and Cordelia flinched.
‘I never meant for it to go down that way. I had no idea she was one of the girls we’d rescued. If I had of, I would have said something earlier.’
Buffy doubted it but she kept her mouth closed. At least the girl was trying, she supposed. She still knew Willow would be far less than thrilled so she resolved to talk to her before she saw the brunette. Less bloodshed that way. Still though, this forgiveness thing was happening way too fast.
‘Look, Cordelia. I only met you once and granted it was only for a few minutes but I never liked what I saw,’ Cordelia flinched but Buffy ignored it. ‘I’ve heard it from people who have known you since you were young and from people who have known you a short time. You are a shallow, thoughtless bitch. Why should I believe that you’ve changed?’
‘I’ve already apologised to you,’ she countered hotly. ‘I don’t know why I’m repeating myself. If you don’t accept it, that’s fine, I don’t care. All I need to do now is apologise to Willow and that’s it.’
Buffy almost laughed at the look on the Seer’s face. It was a mixture of pride, arrogance, bravery, snobbishness and a little bit of contempt and loathing. Buffy knew the loathing was directed more at the situation than at her.
Deciding not to trust her, but to still give her a chance to prove herself, Buffy accepted the apology. She’d keep a close watch on the Seer though. One wrong move and she was history.
She stepped up to Cordelia, every inch the Slayer. She exuded danger and she knew Cordelia was getting the hint. She tilted her head back to meet her face on.
‘Fine. I accept your apology for what you did to Connor and Willow. You didn’t really wrong me so, whatever. If you so much as breathe on Angel, let alone come near him with the wrong sort of intentions, I will kick your ass back to whatever hell it is you came from. Get it?’ she asked sweetly.
Cordelia nodded and Buffy relaxed back. ‘The others are probably waiting. Willow should be here soon.’
The others were in the lounge, pouring through the books Wes had brought and the ones Giles had. They all looked hard at work when the two girls entered. Buffy split off, heading to the kitchen to call Willow, while Cordelia gingerly picked up a book in between her thumb and forefinger. Her quiet ‘Eww,’ made Buffy smile as she left the room.
**********************************
Willow picked up the phone after two rings and Buffy sighed, relieved.
‘Willow,’ she said brightly and winced at her overly happy tone. ‘Boy am I glad you haven’t left yet.’
‘Why,’ the redhead asked suspiciously. ‘What have you done?’
Buffy stopped, momentarily forgetting about Cordelia. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ she asked indignantly. ‘That’s not the only reason I call you know.’
‘Uh huh,’ Willow snorted and Buffy cried out in outrage.
‘How dare you, Willow Rosenberg!’ she announced, bluffing her way out.
‘Anyway,’ she said quickly before Willow could say anything. ‘There’s something you should know before you get here. Angel and his gang just arrived and-’ she was cut off by Willow’s squeal.
‘They’re here? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? How long have they been there? Can I come over now? Oh, we have a small problem. Xander’s parents have gone away for the weekend and they left Xander here. I can’t leave him alone so I’m bringing him with me. Is that okay? I’ll tell him I need to speak with you privately so we can discuss the… other… things. The we could have a video night. Xander will bring the munchies. I’ll bring A Princess Bride. You love that movie right? I-’
‘Willow, take a breath,’ Buffy cut in frantically. As Willow learnt to breathe again, Buffy told her what she’d called to say. ‘There is a slight problem. Angel brought his team, his whole team. I mean everyone. Including Cordelia.’
Silence reigned over the line and Buffy winced as she imagined the thoughts flitting through the redhead’s brain.
‘Oh,’ she breathed and Buffy hastened to assure her.
‘She’s here to apologise. She’s sorry for what she did. She already apologised to everyone here now she wants to say sorry to you. I just thought I’d warn you before you got here.’
The only sound Buffy could here was Willow’s soft breathing, as she digested the information. ‘Bring Xander with you,’ Buffy urged. ‘She wants to talk to him too.’
At that Willow balked. ‘I don’t know Buffy. An apology is not going to make up for what she did to us. If she didn’t mean it, it would just make it worse. I don’t want Xander to go through that.’
Buffy thought Xander was tougher than Willow made him out to be but she wisely kept her mouth shut. After a little more coercing, Willow agreed to talk to Xander about it. They’d arrive at the mansion in half an hours time. Only god knew how the night would play out.
Buffy only hoped it wouldn’t end with a hospital visit.
************************************
They arrived twenty minutes later. Both looking extremely uncomfortable. Cordelia dragged them both off before Buffy could even say hello. Not yelling erupted from behind the closed study door nor was there and sign of violence. Buffy kept watch on the door, not even pretending to read as Fred was doing.
Half an hour passed and they still hadn’t exited. Buffy was getting edgy so she retrieved her journal from her room and took it into the kitchen. The pen flew over the page as she wrote her frustrations. The writing was therapeutic and Buffy calmed after a while. She jumped when she heard the study open. Dropping the pen on the open diary, she ran into the lounge and immediately her eyes searched out Willow and Xander. She noted Xander’s pale face and Willow’s closed expression and walked over to them.
‘I’m gonna take him into the kitchen to get a coffee,’ she said quietly. ‘We’ll order pizza then I’ll meet you back out here.’
Buffy nodded and watched quietly as they left the room. Everyone was quiet and Buffy turned to see every eye on Cordelia. Willow returned moments later.
‘He’s okay. He has a coffee and the pizza’s are on their way,’ she sat down next to Giles. Buffy sat next to her and the conversation started.
They were in the middle of discussing Buffy’s dream when she suddenly remembered something. ‘Oh my god,’ she flew from her seat and ran from the room. As she raced into the kitchen she was horrified to see Xander standing at the kitchen counter. Her diary was sitting open in front of him.
He looked up as he realised she was standing there and saw the horrified look on her face. She panicked, trying to deny it was happening. Maybe he read her earlier entries, from before she became the Slayer. She knew, however, that she was grasping for straws.
He stepped back from the counter, white-faced and Buffy felt her heart break for him. She had hoped he’d never find out about this but, she realised with sudden clarity, she couldn’t. He lived in this town. He was bound to wake up everything soon.
She took a step towards him and he stepped back. The way he was acting was not because of the revelations, she realised, but it was from the shock piled upon shock that he’d received tonight. On a normal day she was sure he’d take it in his stride.
‘Vampires are real?‘ he asked her hoarsely.
Maybe Giles had better field this one.
I'm really sorry if this chapter is not up to scratch. My cat went in for surgery today so i'm a little upset.
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