Author’s Notes: Dialog only. Post-Judgment, Cordelia discusses why she didn’t tell Angel the true meaning of her vision with the one person who can understand. I started this story based on a vocabulary word from English, and wrote most of it there daydreaming. Let us just say that my teacher beats out Maggie Walsh in the competition for Evil Bitch Monster from Hell.

In the Absence of Sanguine

By Cobalite Ice

"Didn’t expect you back so soon."

"I figured you needed me after what happened."

"Is what I think about that woman’s baby true?"
"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Dammit, why can’t you just give me a straight answer?"

"You know why. Yes, she is what you think she is."

"A Slayer, the Warrior who will stand beside Angel during the End of Days."

"You’re getting better at figuring these things out."

"Fifteen years, that’s all the time we have to prepare?"

"It’ll have to be enough. Things weren’t supposed to go down so soon, but mistakes were made."

"Like the loophole in Angel’s curse?"
"Stop being so snide. So the gypsies violated their contract and sped up the Apocalypse. What are you and I supposed to do?"

"We can’t do anything. That’s the worst part."

"You want to keep getting clues, you gotta keep your mouth shut. He can’t know."
"He can’t know she’s going to die before they have a chance to make things right you mean."

"That’s exactly what I mean. You did what you had to do."
"I told him to kill an innocent man for you. I think I deserve a little more than a pat on the head and a good job."

"The Tribunal will keep the child out of the Council’s hands. She’ll be strong, almost as strong as Buffy, and she won’t be watching his tail instead of her own."

"Anything else you need from me, or can I go back to competing with my boss for head brooder?"

"He’s my friend too."
"I know."

"We’re just the messengers, Cordy. We have to do what we’re told."

"I know that too. Thanks for stopping by."

"I’ll be back sooner than you think. Things are about to get a lot worse."

Voiceover: It is only in the absence of sanguine that he comes to me, because he is the only one that can understand. It is only he that can return my hope.

"They always do. Goodnight, Whistler."

*Sound of door closing.*