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First and foremost, I want to apologize for the long time between updates… I hope I haven’t lost any of you because of it!!  I’m in the middle of writing so many things that for a while there, my brain was absolutely fried!  I couldn’t stare at my computer for more than 10 minutes a day without going crazy.  But I continued to punch away at this piece a little bit at a time and now… it’s posted!  Yay!  So, the long awaited thanks to my reviewers are as follows…

Imzadi I never meant to belittle Fred.  I love her too!  There’s really no one I DON’T like in the AI gang… with the exception of Groo and Kate (sorry!).  I’m really glad, though, that you liked the chapter!  And yes, there’s a little bit of shock there, seeing the Buffster... :P

Angellover  I would love to submit this to Joss but would he really listen to little ol’ me?   And there’s only 3 epi’s left… 3 epi’s where he can seriously redeem himself in my eyes.  I don’t want to lose all the faith just yet.  I fell in love with BtVS and Angel for a reason and hopefully Joss will come up with something spectacular for all of us…

Diana Troy… Yes, Buffy!!  Should be interesting, right?  And I miss Cordy too.  I watched S3 on DVD and all of her interaction with Angel… he really is a better person with her than he ever was with Buffy.  Cordy made him human… and Buffy could never get past the vampire bit… I’ll be very disappointed to see a B/A reunion in the finale…

Laina3… I’m really glad I’m satisfying your Cordy requirement… I’m satisfying mine as well.  She (along with Angel) made the show what it was.  Please, keep letting me know how you like it!

Genevieve719… Not to sound pompous or anything, but I really liked my Lorne moments too (the chartreuse/lively spring green line was my all-time favorite)!  He’s such a great character to write for…

LeiLeiLeiko  I’m glad you’re lovin’ it!  I’d be sad if you weren’t!  Buffy should add another character dimension to the mix, don’t you think?

Zidane3…  Thanks for reviewing!  I can only hope that it will be interesting to everyone!

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“Why, gee, it’s Buffy.  Go figure… the world is ending and Lady Lazarus has come to assist us poor little incompetents…” Cordelia said after yet another moment of uncomfortable, confused silence.  After her own words processed in her head, Cordelia winced.  She’d thought herself beyond the high school bitchiness by now, but Buffy Summers always seemed to bring that inner depth to the surface.  The blonde didn’t say anything, but she did give the brunette a healthy glare.

“Buffy?” Angel’s voice asked, causing Cordelia’s heart to do a turn in her chest at the soft tone he used.  She hid it well with a roll of her eyes.  Same old, same old…

“Didn’t think you’d see me this soon, did you?” Buffy asked, walking up to the dark-haired vampire.  Angel gave her a small smile in return and shook his head.  The welcoming expression on the woman’s face slipped off as she thought of something.

“And you!” the Slayer exclaimed as she turned to Spike and approached him angrily.  “You’re dead!  What the hell brought you back?”  Spike actually flinched at her harsh statement and question as he took a step away from her.  Angel stepped forward and extended his hand to Buffy.

“Let’s go… talk… about why you’re here,” he offered, knowing that a war of words could erupt at the drop of a hat between a select few in the spacious room they occupied.  Buffy smiled gratefully as she took the vampire’s hand and followed him to the elevators.  The rest of the gang watched in morbid silence as the two once doomed former lovers left.

“Hey… was that she-who’s-name-can’t-be-said?  The ‘B-word’?” Fred asked, causing everyone to look at her.  After a beat, everyone then turned to Cordelia.

“What?” she asked.  “You want my permission to say her name?  Go ahead.  And yes, Fred, that was Buffy…”

“Oh… good…” Fred said.  Then she turned to Gunn.  “She didn’t look like the Slayer… I expected her to be taller… and, well, you know…”  With that, Fred flexed her spindly arms to imitate muscles.

“You, being you, should know that sometimes good things come in small packages… plus she’s got that mystical bibbity-bobbity-boo stuff workin’ for her,” Gunn said.  Wes cleared his throat in order to draw the black man’s attention to Cordelia, who’d turned away from the uncomfortable conversation about subject matter that really didn’t concern her.  Gunn, taking the hint, took Fred’s arm, knowing the girl wanted to continue the conversation.

“Didn’t you say you had something you wanted to check out?” Gunn asked the scientist.  Fred nodded emphatically as she started towards the elevators.  Lorne held up his hand.

“I think I’ll join you two.  I want to check on the not-so-little-nipper anyways.  Make sure he’s not trying to decapitate things that shouldn’t be decapitated.  Not everyone can just lose their head like me and come out looking as marvelous…” he said with a slightly forced chuckle before scurrying after Fred and Gunn.  When they were alone, Wesley turned to Cordelia.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly, approaching the brunette.  Cordelia turned to face Wes, face dry and arms crossed in Cordy fashion, but she couldn’t hide the hurt completely.

“I’m fine, Wes…  It’s just that seeing Buffy brings back the suppressed Scooby days.  Not a path down memory lane that’s full of sunshine and daffodils…” she said with a sigh.  Wes smiled as he put a companionable arm around her shoulders.

“Well then… to take your mind off the past why don’t we go to my office, I’ll brew us a piping hot pot of tea and we’ll start cracking on that decoding that book,” he suggested.  Cordelia let out a little laugh as she wrapped one of her arms around his waist.  It was an atypical position for them as they walked to the elevators, but the months of not seeing each other made every little thing seem more important… their friendship being one of them.

“You know, Wes, with all the soda-guzzling, coffee-gulping and blood-sucking co-workers we have and for the amount of time we’ve all spent together, you’d think that you’d be broken of that disgusting tea habit,” Cordelia told him with a teasing look.  Wes chuckled.

“Disgusting habit?!  You want to discuss disgusting habits?  Then we really need to talk about…” he was saying as the elevator doors dinged closed behind them, leaving one silent, confused looking ghost in the empty lobby.

“Well… I’m left all by my lonesome.  Do they think that just because I’m a sodding ghost that I don’t have bloody feelings?  Do those sops really think that they can… oh bloody hell…  I’m talking to myself,” Spike grumbled as he headed for the elevators everyone seemed so keen on escaping to.  “If this is the way they think things are going to be run, then they’re bloody well mistaken…” 

    

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“Why did you come here, Buffy?” Angel asked as soon as the door to his office closed behind the blond girl.  Buffy’s eyes met his when she looked up at him from where stood.

“I was told there’s going to be yet another Armageddon of sorts.  Couldn’t miss that, now could I?  Since I seem to be a season ticket holder for all this crap, I couldn’t possibly sit at home and watch on TV like all the normal people, right?”  Angel let out a weary breath as he made his way behind his desk.

“We never asked you to come, Buffy.  We can handle this,” he said.  Buffy was slightly taken aback at his statement.

“That wasn’t the tune you were singing in Sunnydale,” she reminded him.  “If I remember correctly, you were all with the team-iness… wanting to join forces and all…”  Angel nodded once.

“I know that, Buffy.  And don’t think I don’t appreciate your offer but…” he started.

“You have no clue what’s going on, do you?” Buffy interrupted.  Angel was silent for a moment as he contemplated his answer.  How much did he really want to tell her?  How much could he tell her?  They still didn’t know… well… a lot

“Not really,” he finally admitted.  The Slayer crossed her arms and gave the vampire a look.

“See?  My help could be needed.  We all know that extra muscle is always a good thing,” she said.

“Buffy… now may not be the best time for you to be here,” Angel tried to explain, but knew he was doing a poor job of it.  “The team… well, they have… issues… with things.  We’re all trying to figure out what’s going on and we’re still trying to work together on it.”  Buffy let out a huff.

“Issues?  The bald guy defines the word ‘issues’, Wes doesn’t know how to live without ‘em, the skinny girl doesn’t look old enough to have issues, the green guy’s got to have some, Spike… he is an issue… and Cordelia?  She can’t live without causing plenty of ‘em.  So I don’t really think having ‘issues’ is going to be a problem here.  I’ve been surrounded by them my entire life.  A few more aren’t going to hurt,” the Slayer said.  Angel sat down in his desk chair.

“Buffy… what we’re trying to stop from happening leads back to a boy named Conner,” Angel said with difficulty.  Buffy didn’t look impressed by the name.

“Okay… kid named Conner.  Yeah?” she asked.  Angel took a hard swallow.

“He’s… my son, Buffy,” the vampire said.  The Slayer’s jaw dropped open.

“Your… son?” she asked incredulously.  Then she frowned in thought.  “But you’re a vampire… you can’t have children…”  Angel let out a breath.

“You don’t think I know that, Buffy?  I’m very well aware of all my limitations,” he said bitterly before adding a thought in his head.  More so when you’re here…  Buffy was silent again as she paced in front of Angel’s desk.

“You have a son… a son that you shouldn’t have… and you didn’t feel the need to share that information with me?” she asked, turning to give the vampire a hard look.

“Buffy, Conner and his… situation… didn’t involve you, okay?” Angel pleaded with the girl.

“Didn’t involve me?” she asked.  “Angel… I thought we were friends…”  The look on her face said so much more and conveyed that there was more to what she thought.

“Up until a few hours ago, Cordelia was the only one to know that I even had a son, so why would I have involved you?” he asked.  Buffy’s eyes went wide.

“I can understand not telling anyone… but Cordelia?” she asked, astonished.  Angel’s dark eyes stayed on hers, but he didn’t say anything knowing full well that he didn’t have to explain Cordelia’s central role in his life to her.  Knowing that the vampire wasn’t going to say anything else, Buffy turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.  Angel could only continue to stare at the spot where she had stood.  Then, with a heavy sigh he turned in his chair to look out at the Los Angeles night.

“The thing is, Buffy… we were never really friends…” he muttered to himself as he rubbed a hand over his face and let his thoughts wander back to a fiery brunette.

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Elsewhere in L.A…

“The child has no memory of the father…  And the hunters have no memory of the child.  A deal was made and it was fulfilled.  Now is the time to strike, for all is forgotten.  The blood shall be spilled and what’s mighty shall reign,” a voice said its form levitated over the cold cement.  The vampire standing before it shifted uncomfortably, impatient.

“The first attempt at retrieving the child has failed.  We must attack again tonight, when they least expect it…” the vampire said.  A hand was held up to stop any further suggestion.

“Silence, vampire.  The time will be at hand… but it is not now.  It has been commanded that we acquire the child and the text.  The hunters’ strength is in their knowledge and their knowledge is contained in the two.  Yet, at the moment, all we require is a catalyst…” the voice said as its feet slowly came back to the earth.  The vampire waited patiently for his new instructions.

“See to it we have what we need,” the voice commanded.  The vampire nodded and bowed quickly.

“As you insist, Master,” the vampire said before turning and running off to fulfill the command.  Shrewd, thoughtful eyes watched, unknown, from the shadows as things began to unfold. 

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“You want to know a disgusting habit, mates?” Spike asked as he finally caught up with Wes and Cordelia outside of Wes’s office.  “Leaving me behind, that’s what!  I’m the freakin’ visions, you mincing wankers!”  Cordelia looked over to the ghost with a grin.

“Awwww, we love you too, Spike…” she said sweetly.  Spike frowned at her and stumbled to find something scathing to say back, but instead he just shook his head.

“That won’t always work, you know,” he commented.  Cordelia shot him another look.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said with a small laugh.  The three were about to make their way into Wes’ office when a door slammed open and a blond whirlwind escaped Angel’s office.  The look on her face was not a pleasant one.  Cordelia looked to Wes with bemused curiosity.

“Well, that must have been a short conversation,” she said.  Buffy stopped in front of the brunette after overhearing her comment.

“Cordelia, if you want to make it through this apocalypse with the least amount of bruises you could come out with, I’d watch what you say.  And if that’s too difficult for you, then maybe you should just stay out of my way,” the Slayer said, the hurt she felt and the feeling of being unwanted coming out in a verbally brutal manner.

“Well, gee, who blew a black cloud on your sunshiny day?” Cordelia commented as Buffy started to walk by them again.  The Slayer stopped at the question and turned to glare at the brunette.

“You know, Cordelia… the fact that these people put up with you and that you are still here amazes me to no end.  In Sunnydale all you were was a whiny, manipulative, useless bitch,” the Slayer said.  Cordelia crossed her arms.

“Hey, I was a damned good bait girl, okay?” she said with a roll of her eyes, trying to not let the girl’s words affect her.  Buffy smirked.

“Because that’s all you were good for,” she said.  Cordelia straightened up, but didn’t say anything.  Wes laid a hand on Cordelia’s shoulder, knowing her sensitivity towards her purpose, but the girl shrugged it off.

“Well, then.  I’ve certainly been put in my place, haven’t I?” she said with a quick look at both Spike and Wesley.  With that, Cordelia spun on her heel and walked away.  Wesley, more concerned than he was moments before, called to her.

“Cordy… where…” he started.

“I’m going to see how Fred and Gunn are doing on the research party,” she explained to him without turning around.  Spike, Buffy and Wes were uncomfortably silent as they looked at everything but each other.  Finally, Wes stood up straight and gave the two a small smile.

“Well… I’m going to go see how our boss is doing.  I have some things to discuss with him,” the Englishman excused himself, leaving Spike and Buffy to stare at each other.

“Well,” Spike said finally.  “I guess that leaves just me to do the Welcome Wagon bit…”

“Shut up, Spike,” Buffy said.  The ghost grinned.

“Good to see you’ve missed me,” he said cheekily.  “And good to see you coming to help.  I think this may end up more difficult than they all realize.”

“What do you know about any of this, Spike?  Angel explained some things to me and the rest I can gather on my own.  You’re dead,” Buffy bit out.  Spike, for his part, didn’t look fazed at all.  Instead of dwell on the stab that hit his heart, the ghost shrugged.

“Oh, so you just noticed, did you?  Well…” he started with a clap.  “… bully for you.  Good to know you can see past those Buffy glasses.  And in case you missed it, I’m dead because I saved the bloody world.  I’d think a little thanks are in order from you, but I won’t hold my non-existent breath… I wouldn’t even if I did have any.”  Buffy crossed her arms.

“I did thank you,” she said.  Spike’s eyebrow rose.

“Oh?  Did you think that fake ‘I love you’ was going to work on me, luv?  I’m a smarter bloke than you give credit for.  I know you didn’t say it because you meant it… I told you as such.”  Buffy didn’t confirm nor deny.  Instead, her eyes fell to the floor.

“Spike…” she said, her voice softening.  The ghost held up his hands.

“Don’t worry, Slayer.  I get it.  Big, bad grandpap gave you the big, bad brushoff.  And now the world of Buffy has been spun all willy-nilly.  But it’s time to face the music, luv.  You are not the center of Nancy-boy’s world… and in case it’s slipped by your oh-so-very-observant self, he’s gone on the cheerleader,” Spike said, crossing his arms and watching the expressions sure to play on her face.  He wasn’t disappointed when the girl’s eyes went wide.

“Cordelia?” she asked.  Spike smirked.

“Something wrong with that, luv?” he taunted slightly.

“He’s moved on?  To Cordelia?” she asked again.  Spike shook his head sadly.

“You know, luv… it’s been four bloody years.  Most people move on twice in that amount of time.  Hell, you have… if I remember correctly.  And as the school of hard knocks has taught me, love isn’t always forever.  No matter how star-crossed and tragic,” the ghost said, his mind drifting momentarily back to a willowy, erratic brunette.

“We were not star-crossed and tragic,” Buffy broke in to his reverie.  The ghost let out a disbelieving chuckle.

“Oh?  Then what else would you call it?  The Slayer and the Vampire… sworn enemies since the dawn of time…” Spike said in a cheesy narrator voice.  Buffy frowned.

“We were the meaning of true love,” she said, her shoulders dropping at Spike lifting his brow.  “… with an ironic sense of timing and an obvious sadistic streak…”

“Well, gee, I’ve had the definition of love wrong all these years… I thought it was supposed to be happy and fulfilling… not ironic and cruel…” Spike said.  Buffy turned away from the ghost, her arms hugging herself.

“Your sarcasm is starting to sound a lot like Cordelia,” the Slayer noted.  Spike grinned.

“Well, that girl and I were cut from the same stone, I think.  She has a biting wit that rivals my own… we’ve been getting along famously,” the blond man said.

“When we blew Sunnydale into a crater we must have blown everyone into an alternate universe where everyone loves Cordelia…” Buffy said.  Spike stepped around the petite girl causing her to look up at him.

“Cordelia has been by Angel’s side for four long years, Buffy.  She’s lost friends with him, she’s been through Angelus with him, she’s received deadly visions for him, she’s been in three debilitating comas for him… and she’s come back from near death to be with him.  Now… I’m just a former vampire who’s known mainly for his sharp good looks, biting humor and stone-cold emotions… but even I couldn’t not love that,” he told her.  “The girl you knew in high school has changed into someone you don’t know anymore.  And the vampire you loved in high school has done the very same thing.  But then… so have you…”  Buffy clenched and unclenched her hands… and found herself doing something that she never thought she would.  Listening to Spike.  Really listening to him.  And what he said, strangely, made more sense than anything she’d ever told herself in the past.

“Why are you doing this, Spike?” she asked softly.  Blue-green eyes sliding up to finally meet his.  He smiled once, but it slid off his face as quickly as it had appeared.

“You know why,” was all he said.  Buffy nodded and looked to the floor again.  After a moment, she started walking.

“I need to be alone,” she told him for no reason that she could think of.  Spike watched, hands clenched in the pockets of his duster, as she turned the corner and disappeared from his sight.  He let out a deep breath before his trademark cynical look sunk his cheekbones and he rolled his eyes.

“Well… enough with the bloody Anne Landers bit… I wish I could beat something…” he said as he turned and walked the opposite way.  “… or have a smoke…”

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A/N… Okay, so that’s the part for now.  I have another one half-way finished and it should be up in the next couple of days, God willing *crosses fingers*.  I wanted to get some B/S action going for all those craving angsty-romance at this moment.  We’ll see some Cordy/Angel sometime soon… my muse is torturing not only you readers, but me as well.  I’m anxious to get to the good stuff as well (not that Spuffy isn’t good stuff, by any means)!! 

I’ll be kind enough to give a heads-up of the next part so you know what to look forward to:   Lindsey making a re-appearance, Conner getting involved more, a Wes/Angel showdown of sorts, Buffy/Cordy confrontation of sorts, and hopefully a lot of action… Good muse *pats head* goooooood muse…  Shhhh, don’t scare it away!!! 


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