Cordelia Chase looked up at the window that was still lit up. She took a deep breath and wondered if she should go in. Willow and Xander. Xander and Willow. And Cordelia. She sighed, took another breath and then pulled open the door. After all, as awkward as the reunion would most certainly be, it was raining hard and she was getting soaked.

The walk towards their apartment seemed to take forever. It had been months since Cordelia had spoken to Willow, and even longer since she’d spoken to Xander. And that was just speaking. She hadn’t seen *either* of them in close to a year.

In fact, the only members of the so-called former Scooby gang she’d kept in contact with over the years, had been Angel and Oz. She’d lived with Angel in LA for awhile, platonically, of course, and then Oz had moved to the city too. She and Oz had become close, and he was now her best friend.

Cordelia reached the door and knocked loudly, hoping it wasn’t a bad time. “It’s open!” she heard Willow yell. < What, did living in Sunnydale teach you *nothing* about locking up? > she wondered. She pushed open the door and found Willow at the computer, typing. She smiled at that, remembering how much time Willow had spent on-line before she’d developed a social life. Mostly before she’d begun dating Oz.

She heard the sound of running water to her right and glanced in that direction. There was a small bathroom and Xander stood there, brushing his teeth. The door was mostly closed, so she couldn’t see much of him. But she smiled. Willow still hadn’t looked to see who her guest was, probably expecting a friend from the college.

“Has living on the Hellmouth taught you nothing?”

Willow whirled around and jumped out of her seat. She let out a cry of surprise and Cordelia couldn’t help but laugh at the hacker’s expression. Willow began babbling incoherently, until finally she just rushed towards the brunette and wrapped her arms around her tightly. She squeezed the girl until Cordelia felt like her lungs were going to collapse. “I kinda need my lungs to breath,” she managed to choke out.

“Cordelia Chase,” said Willow in complete awe. “It’s been like, years.”

Cordelia smiled wryly. “Willow Harris,” Cordelia spoke in the same tone, mocking her friend. “Yes, it has.”

Willow looked down at her engagement ring. “Xander and I were...disappointed, to say the least...when you and Oz didn’t come to our wedding.”

Cordelia nodded, understanding where her friend was coming from. “I know that the wedding was six months ago but I couldn’t. Honestly. Oz and I were both...we were still having issues with the two of you as a couple.”

Willow opened her mouth to speak, but Cordelia held up her hand to silence her. “We forgave you guys, Will. But that doesn’t mean it still didn’t hurt that you chose each other.”

Willow furrowed her brow. “Um, Cor? I chose Oz. We got back together. Remember? Dated for another six months, lost my virginity to him...any of this sparking some remembrance?”

Cordelia shook her head. “But you chose Xander. We all knew. You stayed with Oz, maybe you even loved him. But tell me your heart didn’t pound every time you saw Xander in danger. And that when you got kidnapped the first person your thoughts turned to wasn’t him?”

Willow opened her mouth to protest- although she suspected it was true- and then she caught sight of her husband staring at the girl in front of her in wonder. She suspected she should feel jealousy but all she felt was relief. And joy. She fought back a smile. “Cordelia,” Xander said softly.

The former prom queen turned to face him, slowly, unsure of how her emotions would respond. He looked exactly the same. His hair was slightly curlier and he looked to be less carefree, slightly more mature. But he was still Xander.

They stood there, facing off awkwardly for a moment. Finally, Xander moved towards his ex girlfriend and gathered her into his arms. His hug rivaled Willow’s, and Cordelia decided that, obviously, both of them were trying to squeeze her to death.

She choked. “Guys, I know it’s been awhile but dammit...”

Xander let Cordelia go and then looked at his wife. “Do you know if Oz came too?” he asked her.

Willow immediately looked away and Cordelia glanced between the couple. “Actually,” Cordelia said, speaking up. “He did.” Willow’s gaze immediately shot up towards her friend.

She smiled slightly. “W-what?” Her grin broadened. “Really?”

Xander felt a brief pang of jealousy. But then his wife turned back to him and shot him a bright smile. Immediately his worries were put to rest. He trusted her. She walked towards him and put her arm around his waist. “Is Oz with someone?” asked Willow.

Cordelia smiled slightly, remembering Oz’s last girlfriend and how she’d chased the ho away. “Nope,” she said proudly.

Xander smirked. “Cor, you have the hots for Wolf Boy, doncha?”

Cordelia shook her head. “That’s moronic. Never have I wanted Oz that way.”

Xander looked away from his former girlfriend and at the girl he loved, his best friend. “You lier,” he told Cordelia. “I can see it in the way you talk about him.” He smiled wryly. < Cordy's crazy about him...> “It’s like how I used to talk to people about Will when she was still with Oz.”

Cordelia looked at her friends, a feeling of defeat washing over her. “I don’t know how it happened!” she admitted, sitting down in Willow’s chair. “One minute we were just friends...and then he was so much more...” She sighed and buried her head in her hands.

The couple exchanged glances and then looked back down at their perplexed friend. After a long moment, Cordelia raised her head again and looked at them miserably. Outside, she could hear thunder and lighting start. Quickly, Willow hurried over to her computer and shut it off.

Cordelia watched her friend scramble to shut off her laptop and then turned back to Xander. She gave him a heartbreaking smile. “We kissed once, y’now,” she said, referring to the werewolf.

Xander nodded and sat down on the floor, cross-legged, in front of her. Willow remained standing by the computer, listening. Cordelia seemed almost near tears. “I’d just sorta...arranged his breakup with his last girlfriend. Her name was Lucy. And I broke them up.” He leaned forward, resting her head on her palm. “I was so jealous of what they’d had.”

She sighed and twirled a strand of her hair with her finger. “And he was taking it really bad. We went out drinking and...I dunno, when we got back later we just started fooling around.” Cordelia let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I think I might even...” she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “...love him.”

Willow nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, I think I’ve noticed that.” She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorily. “He grows on you.”

“Tell me about it,” agreed Cordelia. Her tone became thoughtful. “One minute he’s just some grungy, guitar-playing, mostly-quiet, keeps to himself person with multi-colored hair and the next...” she smiled. “I dunno...the next he’s like, the only guy I can imagine myself happy being with.”

Willow walked towards her husband and then sat down on his lap. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, just enjoying the fact that they were finally together as a couple. Xander breathed in the smell of Willow’s hair as she leaned against him. She smelled like peaches. Most probably just her shampoo, but he didn’t care. He loved the smell whether it was artificial or not. He kissed her cheek softly and then she began reaching for the phone. “Wills?” he questioned.

“I’m calling Oz,” Willow said, glancing quickly at Cordelia to see if she had a problem with it. Cordelia’s eyes opened wide in panic.

“T-to say what?”

“To invite him over.”

“No!” Cordelia said and leaped off the chair, towards her friends. Just then, a crack of lightning went off. She looked at the redhead pleadingly. “Willow, don’t.” She ran a hand through her long, brown hair. “I’ll tell him tomorrow, I swear.”

“Are you visiting campus tomorrow?” Xander asked. Cordelia nodded. “Invite Wolf Boy with you,” he suggested.

Cordelia thought about that. “Fine,” she agreed. < Maybe then they’ll leave me alone to fuck-up my life by myself. > She stood up and with one last glance, left her friend’s apartment.

The Harris’ stared after their departing friend. Xander ran a hand through Willow’s hair. “I hope it all works out okay, don’t you?” Willow asked quietly.

He looked down at her, amazed. She hadn’t seen either Cordelia or Oz in years, and she hadn’t even parted in particularly good terms with Oz, and yet he could sense the genuine caring she felt for the couple. “You amaze me,” he told his wife in awe. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. “What would I do without you, Wills?”

She paused thoughtfully, staring at the ceiling. “Um...you’d have failed Trig and been best bud-less after Jesse’s death. So you’d probably still be pining after Sunnydale’s resident Slayer, while repeating tenth grade for the eighth time and generally-”

He silenced her mouth with a kiss. When they separated, she left her forehead pressed against his. They gazed and each other. “The point is, Wills, my life would be shit without you. Can’t we just leave it at that?”

She thought about that a moment and then just smiled at him. “Only if you kiss me again, right this second.” He obliged gladly, pressing his lips to hers, and then gently lying her down onto the floor.

Part 2
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