Cordelia sat cross legged on Doyle's couch. She wore baggy sweat pants and a black tank top. Her hair was pulled back studiously. A text book lay in her lap. "So we're covering up to chapter twelve in the math book? Up to basic multiplication and division?" She sighed confused. "Then what is the English?"

Doyle motioned to the book in his hands. "We're doing to this part."

She leaned on his shoulder to read.

He leaned forward ever so slightly to smell her hair.

She rested her head against his shoulder. "Why am I doing this? I don't know anything about second graders."

"Hey." he said soothingly. "You're doing good with this. You've been studying with me all weekend. And you CAN deal with kids. You helped me with Abby." Cordelia looked at him skeptically. "That was one. This is thirty-two."

Doyle's eyes widened. "Thirty-two?!" He looked ready to panic. "I have to make out lesson plans. I have to do seating charts and tests. I didn't even start tests. We have to figure out which period is what subject. I need to buy crayons. I have to pack your lunch." he rambled.

Cordelia giggled and covered his mouth. She put a finger to her mouth. "Shh. You'll get it all ready in time. You also have to remember the main purpose of us being teachers isn't to edjucate these kids. We have to kill a demon...and why are you packing my lunch?"

Doyle smiled sheepishly "Sorry. I guess I got carried away." He put her hand in her lap. "I'm okay now. And I want to pack you your first teacher's lunch." He closed the book in her lap. "Now go home and get a good night's sleep. I'll pick you up at eight. Be ready because school starts at eight-thirty."

Cordelia stood and walked to the door. "Oh, joy. I'll see you then." She turned around and looked at him.

His nose was burried in a book.

She cleared her throat. "Hello! Don't I even get a proper good-bye?!"

Doyle jumped up from the couch. "I'm sorry. I'm just destracted." He pulled her into a hug.

Cordelia rolled her eyes and pulled away. "Forget tradition. You weren't even thinking of me when you hugged me."

"Then what was I thinking?" he challenged.

"You were thinking that there is a teachers in service day coming up and you have to finalize grades for kids you haven't even taught yet." Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "I'm right aren't I?"

He had the decency to look guilty. "I hate it when you read my mind."

"It's because I know you too well. You know." she added flippantly. "If you spend this much time thinking about school you won't have the required time to think about sex." She smiled wryly.

Doyle rolled his eyes. "Here we go again."

Cordelia paused. "I have a question for you. Have your sexual thoughts ever been about me?"

Doyle paled. "Wh...What, what?"

She giggled. "I didn't ask if you'd act apon them. I just wondered."

"Why? Do you have them about me?"

"Oh, please! Of course I have!"

Doyle almost fainted. "What?!"

"It's not a big deal. People have those thoughts. They think them about people they are around alot just because they're right there. You're my best friend. I'm around you all the time so I'm bound to have a thought or two. That doesn't mean I'm going to act apon them or think about them all the time. I've thought what it would be like to kiss you then I was like too wierd. It's normal. If you've never had one tiny thought then I worry about your sexual preference."

Doyle ran a hand over the back of his neck. "A person has them about people they're around alot. Do you have these thought's about Angel?"

Cordelia crinkled her nose. "Ew, no. He's dead. Who wants to kiss a dead guy. That is way beyond gross... Why'd you ask? Do you?"

Doyle's eyes widened. "No!"

Cordelia smiled. "Just checking." She opened the door. "You never answered my first question but I have a good guess at the answer."

Doyle rolled his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Cordelia nodded. "Eight o'clock sharp." Her hands shook. "So nervous."

Doyle shrugged. "We'll do fine."

Cordelia leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

Doyle nodded. "I feel it'll be easier having my best friend there beside me."

"Who else is going? I thought it was just us." Cordelia asked with a joking smile. She half smiled. "I feel the same way."

* * *

Cordelia fussed with her dress. "What if they hate me? What if they don't like my outfit? What if they think my hair is gross and dirty? What if-"

"You look fine, love." Doyle assured her. Cordelia took a deep breath. "We are walking into that classroom in a few seconds and I am having serious second thoughts."

Doyle took her by the shoulders. "Cordy, stop. You look lovely. Your hair is perfect as always and they'll love you. Stop worrying...they're gonna hate me! I'm old!"

An old teacher hobbled by.

Doyle turned to Cordelia. "You don't need to boost my spirits. That just did."

Cordelia giggled. "Let's get in there."

Doyle opened the classroom door and peeked in. Thirty-two little faces peered back at him.

"They're here! They're here!" a boy yelled excitedly.

Doyle shrugged and opened the door. He held it open for Cordelia who shuffled in behind him.

"Cordelia!" Abby Adams cried jumping up from her seat. She ran over and hugged Cordelia around the legs. "This is Cordelia and Doyle! They kill the demons!"

The other kids stared in wide eyed amazement.

Doyle quickly shut the door. "Yes. We kill bad demons."

"The demon killed Bethy." A boy with sandy hair and freckles said sadly.

"And Mary." another kid piped in.

Cordelia looked to Doyle. Three kids so far. Timmy, Bethy, and Mary. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. Mr. Doyle and I will keep you safe."

A little girl with shoulder length brown hair looked shyly at Cordelia. "Do you promise?" Cordelia stooped down to her height. "What's your name?"

The girl bashfully traced a design on the floor with her shoe. "Charlie."

"Well, Charlie." Cordelia said softly. "We are going to keep you safe and that's a promise."

* * *

Cordelia stood in front of the class later that day. "I want to tell you all a special secret about Mr. Doyle. Just in case something bad were to happen I want you to know. Mr. Doyle is part demon but he's a good demon."

Doyle looked up from his desk his face white. What was she doing?!

"If a bad guy comes don't be afraid if Mr. Doyle's face turns blue."

A little boy named Justin raised his hand. "Miss Chase? How will we know it's him?"

Cordelia nodded. "Good point...would you like Mr. Doyle to show you?"

The children nodded excitedly. "I've never seen a good demon before."

Doyle shook his head. "No. Absolutely not."

Abby pouted. "Please, Mr. Doyle?"

Cordelia mimicked the pout cutely. "Please, Mr. Doyle?"

Doyle sighed wearilly. "Fine." He turned to his Brachen form. "Happy?" he growled.

The children ooh'd and aww'd.

Cordelia motioned him over. "C'mere so they can see you better."

Doyle shuffled over.

Cordelia wrapped her arm around his waist. "Isn't he so cute?!"

* * *

Two weeks later Cordelia sat at the art table helping Charlie and Abby with their project. She looked up. "Doyle? Can you go help Kyle? He's been waiting on you forever."

Doyle nodded. "Sure, Princess."

Charlie and Abby began to giggle.

Cordelia turned her attention back to them. "What are you laughing at?" she asked leaning in to hear the joke.

Abby grinned. "Mr. Doyle calls you Princess all the time."

Cordelia nodded. "So that's what you're laughing at. Me and Mr. Doyle have been friends for a long time. He's always called me that."

Charlie stuck her tongue out as she concentrated on coloring her paper. "Miss Chase, are you and Mr. Doyle married?"

Cordelia chuckled. "No. We're not married."

"Why not?" Abby asked. "He's very hansome. Do you think Mr. Doyle is hansome?"

Cordelia thought about this. Was Mr.Do- I mean Doyle hansome to her? She shrugged and leaned in so she could whisper. "Mr. Doyle has very pretty eyes. I like them alot."

Abby's eyes widened. "Can I tell him you said that?"

Cordelia smiled. "Go ahead."

Abby ran over to Doyle. She leaned in his ear and whispered.

He laughed and whispered back.

Abby squealed and ran back over. "Mr. Doyle says he thinks you're very pretty. He said you were an angel."

Cordelia smirked. "Oh, did he?"

The boy across the table from them didn't look up from his work. "Did you have sex?"

Cordelia gasped. "Matt! Where did you hear that word?"

He shrugged. "A fourth grader told me...did you?"

"No we didn't. Can you not say that word again, Matt? It's bad."

He nodded. "Okay." He resumed his coloring.

Cordelia stood up a bit flustered as the bell rang. "I think it's play time."

The kids jumped up with a cheer and ran out of the building to the play ground.

Doyle joined her as she walked outside. "I got the final count. Nine. This thing killed nine children before we got here."

Cordelia shook her head sadly. "So many. We have to keep it from getting into the double digits."

Doyle nodded his agreement and sat down on the teacher's bench to watch the children play. "We're doing good. There hasn't been anymore school casualties since we've been here."

Cordelia leaned her head back against his arm. "I am so monstered out. Can you bring something not so close to reality over this weekend? I've had all the anxiety I can handle."

Doyle brushed her hair out of her face. "How about some comic relief? I could bring 'Dumb and Dumber'."

Cordelia snorted. "What are you talking about? That IS your reality...that sounds great."

Doyle looked longingly into space. "We can have Dennis make his famous milkshakes."

"Mmm." Cordelia groaned.

Doyle raised an eyebrow at Charlie as she jogged over.

She giggled and imitated him. "Mr. Doyle? Will you and Miss Cordy play tag with us?"

Doyle glanced at Cordelia. "Why not?"

Cordelia opened her eyes and looked at Charlie.

"We're it. Monkey bars is jail." She jumped up and grabbed for Charlie.

Charlie squealed and ran.

Doyle hopped up and followed Cordelia.

They played the game for a while. About when half of the students were captured and begging the free children to break them out a demon pounced from the woods.

It jumped on a nearby Charlie.

She screamed terrified.

Doyle was lucky enough to have been close. He lunged himself at the demon knocking it off of Charlie. "Cordelia!" he cried. "Get the weapon bag."

Cordelia rushed to their duffel that was in the "jail." She grabbed a sword from it. "Doyle! Catch!"

She tossed it and he smoothly caught it. She grabbed one for herself and ran over to assist Doyle. She stabbed it's back.

The monster hissed and swung it's big tail at her but she neatly jumped it.

She and Doyle battled the demon with only a little trouble.

Doyle stabbed it a last time and it ceased moving.

Cordelia rushed over to Charlie. "Are you okay?"

Charlie smiled a toothy grin. "You kept your promise."

Cordelia looked at her baffled. "What was that, honey?"

"You kept me alive."

* * *

Cordelia and Doyle sat in the principal's office after school.

"So we killed your big bad guy." Cordelia said proudly.

Doyle nodded. "We saved the children."

Mr. Jones shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm sorry. You don't understand. What you killed on the playground today was nothing. That was one of the monster's henchmen. They just collect children every once in a while. The demon I want you to kill is ten times as big."

Cordelia gulped. "Ten times?" She glanced nervously at Doyle.

Mr. Jones continued. "It is ten times as strong, ten times as deadly and has ten times the urge to kill. You did a wonderful job today but I feel the worst is yet to come."

Part 3
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