bringonthenightfred:

Fred smiled brightly when she saw Wesley leaning against the doorframe to his office. She wasn’t all that surprised to find him there. Sometimes it felt like Wesley was able to read her mind. In the office or out on the field, Wesley tended to finish her sentences, hand her the book she was looking for, or give her a suggestion that would spark an idea. It was nice having someone else that understood science and research. Charles, Angel, and Cordelia were not ones for the learning, preferring the brawn aspect of Angel Investigations. Fred enjoyed having a friend that loved staying up late working on puzzles and reading with her.  Plus it helped that finding Wesley outside of his office was scarce as finding a goat in a herd of sheep. 

“Wesley! Thank goodness I found you.” Fred bounded over to him her arms full of books. She stepped into his office her eyes alight in anxious excitement. She quickly explained the scene in Angel’s bedroom, Lucifer, the passages she found, and her idea that Lucifer might be trying to trick them with Cordelia’s visions. Fred paused at the end of her ramble breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath. She smiled up at Wesley and carefully placed her books down on the last free space available on his desk.

“So, Angel sent me down here thinking that if we put our heads together we might be able to discover something. I brought some things I thought might help,” Fred walked behind his desk studying the book he was reading, “But I knew you were more likely to have what was needed. I mean you collection is better than a library. An amazing library that only covers demons, other dimensions, and prophesies. Oh and Angel is inviting Lorne over to read Cordelia.” Fred noticed a picture on the page of the text Wesley was reading: Lucifer as the beautiful angel before the fall. Fred slowly walked till she was standing by Wesley and placed her hand softly on his arm. The same fear she felt upstairs returned and she couldn’t hide it in her eyes.

“I just fear Wesley, that he is going to appear to us as an angel and we won’t realize it until it is too late.” Fred sighed. “So do you have any ideas?”

Heading down the stairs towards the lobby, Angel took his time, his head filled with all manner of thoughts ranging from Buffy to Connor to Cordelia to Lucifer. This wasn’t your run of the mill point him at the demon and he killed it sort of a mission. Hell, it wasn’t even the run of the mill take on the evil lawyers sort of a mission. This was very much out of his comfort zone. For a brief moment he felt a glimmer of hope, something he hardly ever dared to feel before Connor. What if this was it? What if this was the big one where afterwards, he would finally be human? To raise Connor with a human father and human mother? The only question was right now, he had no idea which beautiful face would be that mother. Buffy, who was always so brave, who took on the mantle of Slayer and faced evil every night? Or Cordelia, who was so strong and had changed so much since she was first in Sunnydale? He couldn’t think about that now. He had to focus on what was going on now before he could think about the future.

He came into the lobby, seeing Wes at the door of his office, Fred already inside putting her books down. That was something at least. It was good to know that in a pinch, he could count on the others to take up the slack while his head was off who knows where. He approached the two of them, nodding his head to Wes and then looking past him into the office at Fred. Angel never knew how Fred had so much energy. He had seen those ads for that bunny that drummed forever once or twice on the television and it was amazing how much Fred reminded him of that. While he was dragging alone and Cordy looking exhausted as well, here was Fred, more than ready to find out what was going on.

“Did Fred fill you in?” He said to Wes, even though he had this suspicion that the woman would more than answer that question herself.

bringonthenightcordelia:

She felt his cold hands on her arms and it caused her to meet his eyes. Cordelia didn’t know really why Angel had suddenly freaked out, but she liked the security that it made her feel that he was right there trying to sooth her. She was confused though at why he would ask her what was it. What did he mean? What was what?

She became aware of her racing heartbeat and a thought, a small memory popped into her head before it drifted back out the window. Cordelia wasn’t really aware that she couldn’t remember what she had just seen. In fact, Cordelia didn’t know that there was anything that had been seen. It was only a split second and to a human, that was enough to forget.

“What do you mean?” Cordelia asked confused before sighing and letting it go. Maybe this lack of sleep was even getting to Angel, she knew it had already caused her to feel a little weak.

A chill ran through Cordelia’s back before she took a step toward Angel. “I’ll ask Wes about the rosary, but first we should get Connor downstairs and some food in our stomachs, big guy.” She paused and thought for a second; trying to make sure that she wasn’t missing anything. She shook her head and continued, “Then we will discuss the end of the world and call Lorne. Or maybe the other way around.”

Cordelia made a move as if she was stepping closer to Angel, her body against his, until she stepped passed him to Connor’s crib. Her whole side burned with the coolness of his body and she had to shake it off. Instead, she slowly reached for the sleeping newborn before comfortably resting him against her chest. She grinned and turned to Angel, “I’m becoming a natural. He didn’t even wake up. Pfft, maybe we should get one of those carrier thingies to keep him close to us.”

With a soft chuckle, she walked past Angel and made her way to the doorway. She turned to smile at him and to check to see if he was following her.

Angel knew what he had heard. He had heard her heartbeat quicken. Even if she wasn’t ready to admit it to herself, he knew. He was going to have to tell Wes about it, even if Cordelia thought it was just being hungry. He rested a hand on his stomach though. Okay, she had him there. He was hungry. He briefly remembered the mug of blood, just the way he liked it, before the vision slash dream had hit Cordelia. That blood, it was no good but maybe he could sweet talk Cordy into making him another one. Oh, who was he kidding? She knew him so well; he probably wouldn’t even have to ask.

Reaching for her before she got to the door, he used just a slight bit of power to turn her to look at him. Fred had interrupted their moment. He had to tell her. He just looked in her eyes and once more, the words just failed him. He wasn’t good with words. Not the poet, like Spike. He spoke his affection for Darla with corpses. Even with Buffy, they never really talked, not the way he talked with Cordelia.

“I was serious. I won’t let anything happen to you. You…” He faltered. This wasn’t the right time, the right place. And he still knew he would have to see Buffy and settle things there. “You guys are all too important to me.”

He kicked himself before the words were even out of his mouth. Why was it that she could reduce him, the former Scourge of Europe, to a dithering idiot? Was it because she was the first person he ever let in? Really let in? She could make his mouth dry and put him in his place with just a look. His hands balled into fists. He needed something to kill, to smash, he could understand that. He straightened up, pushing it all behind him.

“Yeah, one of those carry things for Connor. Why don’t you order it online while I talk to Wes?” Moving past her, once his back was to her, his shoulders slumped slightly forward. He was an idiot. A colossal idiot.

bringonthenightcordelia:

“You know that we will do everything to keep him protected, big guy.” Cordelia said as she stood there with her arms crossed over her chest. She moved from her spot at the door after Fred left in search of one of the fang gang. She gave Angel a mega-watt smile as she leaned against the frame acting as a barrier between Connor’s nursery and Angel’s main bedroom.

Cordelia gave a sigh within herself. She knew that her feelings for Angel should be pushed to the side, casted in the back of her mind until it was an appropriate time to deal with them. Cordelia knew that Angel was most likely still pinning over Miss Slays-a-lot. Plus, what was her chance with Angel, anyway? She wasn’t blond.

Yet, as Fred would say, they both had Moria between the both of them and they were the definition of Kyrumption.  How could Cordelia possibly ignore that?

She looked into his eyes, which seemed pained in a way. He must be so worried about Connor, and you can’t blame him, in a lot of ways Cordelia was worried about the small newborn also.

Cordelia stood up, “He’ll be alright while we go call Lorne and search the bible. I have a strange feeling that I need to get a rosary. You don’t have one do you?  We can take the ba..”

She paused for a moment, feeling something extremely chilling pass through her body. Her spine straightened and for that millisecond she swore she saw something staring at her through the window. It was as if time was going slow and she glanced over to the window with her eyes.

He was different than before, he seemed more permanent. His short light brown hair was slick back and he had a curious look in his blue gray eyes. His brows where furrowed and he gave her a small, slick smile. He looked, almost, like an angel. She didn’t feel anything holy, no, not at all. But, he looked like a man who has once feel from his grace.

Her heart raced and the second passed.

He was gone.

Blinking her eyes, she though she was dreaming and that second was almost erased from her memory. She continued, almost fluidly, back to what she was saying, “..baby monitor downstairs…” She paused and something in her told her to add, “Or how about we just bring him with us and put him in his bassinette?”

Her human memory was already working to erase that second and somewhere in her heart she felt sympathy for the devil.

Angel watched as Fred left to go finish the research. It looked like there was going to be no rest for the gang tonight. These all night sessions were getting more and more frequent and he couldn’t help but think that maybe this Lucifer business was connected with it. He made a mental note to make sure to ask Wes if there were any scrolls or prophecies or anything that might help them.

“Can’t touch a rosary. Crucifix on the bottom. Wes might have one.” He said as he turned to look back at Cordy. He might not have caught her looking or the change in her expression in that split second but he caught the racing of her heart. He always listened to her heart. Hers and Connor’s. It was a habit born from what he was. Never would he be able to deny that he was a vampire; that he could hear and smell the blood in Cordelia’s veins and that on some rare occasions, he thought what it would be like to…

He pushed the thoughts from his mind, going quickly to her. “Cordy? What is it?” He didn’t dare tell her how he knew something had spooked her. She was accepting of what he was, of his demon, but that might be pushing it if he suddenly said ‘hey, by the way, I listen to your heartbeat and before, on the bed, the sound of your and Connor’s heartbeats almost made me feel entirely too happy’.

Putting a hand lightly on her arm, his brow crinkled. When he found Lucifer, he was going to rip his head clean from his body and then, he was going to spit down his neck. And that was just the beginning for what he had done and was still doing to Cordelia. And by extension, Buffy. He wanted to protect them both, to keep them both safe, even though deep down he knew that was an impossible task.

“Let’s get Connor, we can go downstairs, and you can tell Wes exactly what you have seen.”

bringonthenightcordelia:

The vivid glow around Joyce’s whole body was the only picture that Cordelia could keep in her mind. There was something deep inside her that knew she was right about this one. She knew if her visions were real or not, fabricated or authentic. She would have known if it were Lucifer. She remembers him walking slyly, his form changing ever so smoothly. Yet, the only one that she could remember was the Italian man.

It was him, right?

Cordelia hated the creeping doubt filling inside her like an overwhelming flood, but she held close to her belief. Her dreams were real, something heavenly.

Cordelia sit up from her spot on Angel’s bed, her hand reluctantly pulling away from the stirring baby’s tummy and the warmth that Angel had once given her. She smiled over at Fred and nodded her head. “I would love having you come with me. If it weren’t the end of the world coming, I would even suggest going shopping.” Cordelia said half jokingly.

End of the world or not, Cordelia always enjoyed shopping.

She stood up slowly, trying not to disturb the little baby. She gave a full stretch before pulling her tank top down over her stomach and smiled at everyone. Her gaze lingering on Angel a little longer than needed to be.  She couldn’t lie about being slightly disappointed when Fred burst into to room, interrupting their only chance at pretending the outside world was exactly what it was, outside. But Cordelia has learned since the beginning of Angel Investigations that everything happens for a reason.

She sighed and headed to the door before turning around and saying lightly, “You know, maybe we should call Lorne tonight. Pfft, I have to know what place to pack for.”

“Going to Hell, not something I want to do again.” Angel said in response to Fred. His whole body tensed with that single sentence, memories flooding him. Sometimes having such a long memory was a bad thing. Without realizing it, he put a hand on his middle, as if the sword was one more plunging through him. No, if they were going to fight, they were going to do it on their terms and on their turf. He barely survived his one and only trip into Hell. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone, least of all his friends.

He reached to pick Connor up finally. As much as he would love to stay here, sleeping with Cordelia, the child between them, he knew that Connor needed to be put back into his crib. Instead of sleep, per their usual, they were hitting the ground running. Sleep was going to have to wait. Moving across the room, he put the infant boy into his crib, leaning over to give his head a soft kiss. He pulled back, the tender moment over, all business now.

“I think it would be a good idea to have Lorne come here. I don’t want to risk you going anywhere right now, Cordy. It could be too dangerous. Fred, let’s see if we can find anything else out from well, The Bible.” His tone was firm but deep down, he knew that with the slightest bit of Cordelia style bulldozing, he would turn over on even that point. He just hoped that she could see how important it was that she stay safe, at least until they could figure out the source of these visions and dreams.

bringonthenightcordelia:

The coolness of Angel’s hand weighed Cordelia’s down in the most pleasant way. Cordelia wasn’t the type to melt, but Angel seemed to knock down all those things that Cordelia Chase wasn’t. Instead, Cordy melted under Angel’s cool, reassuring touch as he promised that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her, or any of his family. She knew that he worried about things and, hell, he probably didn’t feel the same way about her as she did him. Yet, there was something from the outside pushing them together. Cordelia smiled as his thumb raked over the back of her hand and a shudder ran through her spine.

Before Cordelia could say a little joke about the shudder, the door to Angel’s suite swung open. A frown almost formed on her lips in annoyance until she recognized that it was just Fred. Fred was known to sometimes randomly burst into rooms in an excitement after she discovered something. Cordelia chuckled within herself, “Kind of like Wes’ ‘Eureka’ moments.”

Cordelia listened to the young Texan’s explanation of her findings, her thumb unconsciously caressing both Angel’s palm and Connor’s tummy. Cordelia listened intently as Fred mentioned different bible verses as she flipped through the shiny little black bible.

Fred suggested that the visions might be from the devil himself, but something in Cordelia that is wasn’t from him. It wasn’t even from the Powers That Be. No, they felt more powerful, more graceful. She knew that Joyce was most likely just a messenger, but they felt more heavenly. Lucifer was scaring the hell out of her. Yet, in her visions, she felt at peace next to Joyce.

When Cordelia noticed Fred about to end her sentence she immediately spoke, “We’re not going to Sunnydale.  If my dream was telling me anything, he’s somewhere else.”

It seemed that always when they were getting to a point where they could actually talk about something that wasn’t demon related; The Powers threw another wrench into it and interrupted. Now Angel doubted that Fred was a wrench but still. He had to smile softly though because she was enthusiastic, if a bit non-linear in her thought processes. She reminded him so much of Willow and he briefly wondered how they would hit it off once they got to Sunnydale.

However, the mere mention of “Angel’s ex”, Angel pulled his hand from Connor’s stomach, away from Cordelia’s warm touch. It almost felt as if he was doing something wrong here. He had to clear the air with Buffy, first and foremost. He knew it would be painful, more painful than leaving her even. But he couldn’t worry about that now. Right now his focus had to be on Cordelia, on Lucifer, on keeping Connor and his family safe from harm.

Sitting up on the bed, he scooted back slowly as not to disturb Connor. He listened intently as Fred recited Bible verses he knew all too well himself, in several languages. How many hours had he spent as a young boy, copying out Psalms and gospels? Far too many to count and he didn’t want to start now. Let alone remember them. He glanced to Cordelia, that brooding brow back when Fred suggested that Cordelia’s visions might be a trick.

“Cordy, after everything Wolfram and Hart has done to you and your visions, maybe we should think about this for a minute. Tomorrow, after we get some sleep, before we go to Sunnydale, maybe you should go see Lorne.” As much as he didn’t want Cordy to go out alone with the threat of Lucifer lurking around, he did want to make sure that her visions and dreams weren’t leading them all into a trap and certain death.

bringonthenightcordelia:

He just asked if she had another vision, and in all honesty, Cordelia didn’t.

It was odd, but she felt that her dream had been some sort of premonition. Though, she wondered if her dream was not sent by the Powers That Be but by Joyce Summers instead. Maybe being in heaven gave Joyce some insider information about this guy. Cordelia grew up in a Catholic family. Well, more like, around a very Catholic grandmother and was familiar with the fire and brimstone that was hell.

“Why couldn’t the PTB be that gentle, then?” Cordelia sarcastically thought to herself about how easy the dreams were. Cordelia’s mind wondered for a second if these dreams were anything like the dreams she had after Darla had bitten her that had made the two almost connected.

Cordelia looked down at her warrior’s son. Was that why she loved this little guy so much? There was a deeper connection?

“Cordelia,” she thought to herself to try to keep her from getting distracted. All this deep thinking was beginning to hurt her head.

She began to focus at the question at hand. Was there something else? Was it another vision? Cordelia met her champion’s whiskey eyes and began to get drunk in them. She let all her walls down, for a second, and let her eyes tell Angel just how frightened she had become.

Cordelia let the words spill from her mouth, almost in a jumbled rush, about the dream that she had just woken up from. She let her feelings of safety with Joyce be expressed while shuddering slightly when she mentioned Lucifer, the dark headed man with the bone-chilling smile. She mentioned being surrounded by desert land, almost as if there was no other city or town near by.

“I honestly don’t know what to call it, Angel, but something is pointing me there. I know that Joyce had me about an hour outside of Las Vegas, maybe on the California border or something.”  Cordelia sighed, and thought for a moment, trying to remember something. She sniffed a little bit before continuing, “There was a fire, smoke somewhere. I can’t remember anything else.”

Cordelia looked away from Angel back to Connor. She suddenly began to few the coming days. Whatever was about to come, whatever fight they had to fight, and Connor would be put at risk. He was already in danger and it seemed to Cordelia that all the other demons after the tiny newborn were nothing compared to the devil, himself.  She put a hand protectively over the baby’s chest and looked back up at Angel. “You’re right about us all being in the same room, it’s safer for him.”

It only took that brief second for Angel to see exactly how scared Cordelia was. She had taken up his mission, took on visions for him, and now there was something else. It was something so big, so bad, that it had sent a ripple of fear from her to him. This wasn’t your every day, run of the mill Apocalypse. He reached for her hand, knowing that was the most comfort he could give as Connor slept peacefully between them. He wanted to do more but he knew he could never allow himself to get too close again. The last thing he wanted was for Angelus to be free, when he had a child, people he cared about, someone he loved. Sunnydale was only a small fraction of what that soulless bastard was capable of, and Angel knew it all too well. He had lived it.

Listening closely as Cordelia described this dream, he felt his brow wrinkle in all too familiar brooding expression. In another life, he was Irish Catholic, and while it explained Angelus’ love of nuns, it also meant that he knew far too much about the end times and Revelations. Even before he was turned, he had given up his faith. With everything he had seen in the centuries since, it didn’t restore it but instead, pushed it further away. Now with this, the idea that there might be a real Lucifer, well honestly, it wasn’t that out of the realm of possibility. There were vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons. Who was to say the original Fallen One wasn’t true too. For all they knew, he could be an Old One. They were going to need Wes, a bible, and possibly a priest on this.

Angel ran his thumb over the back of Cordy’s hand, trying to give her some comfort in that small gesture. He knew it was probably not nearly enough. “Cordy, we’ll figure it out. Then, after Wes does his research, he can point me and my sword in the right direction, and I will kill it.” He paused for a moment, letting his eyes meet hers. “I won’t let anything happen to my family. To you.”

bringonthenightcordelia:

Cordelia watched as Angel hesitated for a moment about telling her how he was feeling. She knew him, her warrior, like the back of her hand. She knew his brooding time of the day and the way that his eyes would look a certain direction when he was nervous. Cordelia also knew that asking Angel how he felt wasn’t the best thing either. She felt like she had to be cautious with him at times, not wanting to push him too far.

Though it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt sometimes. “I mean, why would he even want me? He has his Buffy.” Cordelia thought sadly to herself. Every time she would think that Angel felt the same for her something would happen that would make her doubt herself. Plus, what would he have to offer her?

Everything, he would have everything to offer her. She sighed within herself. He may have a curse on his soul, so no off the world sex, but she could get over that. No sun-time play, but she knew she looked better in the moonlight anyway. There would be no Catholic Church wedding, but hell, it was in to have outside weddings instead. Every single thing that he could say he couldn’t do, she could find something that he could.

It was Cordelia, she always could.

She listened closely as he explained what the plans were tomorrow. She let a small smile escape her lips as Angel ranted on about the cost of hotel rooms and she watched his brow furrow as he worried. Angel had always been a tight wad, to be frank, unlike Cordelia. It must be because he was practically so old that he remember buying things for a dime.

Cordelia reached a soft hand forward and laid it on his elbow, “Don’t worry about that Angel, I’m sure we can all bring our money together.” She said trying to comfort him. She smiled down at Connor, “You have him to think about also.”

She thought a bit about what he was suggesting about room arrangements. Something was settling bad in her stomach about it, the whole thing. Something was telling her that they didn’t even have to worry about that, that there was other plans for them. Cordelia just didn’t know what. She thought back to her dream, walking Death Valley with Joyce, before the thought escaped her mind.

She looked down at Connor and back at Angel, “Maybe we can just get connecting rooms or something? Or how about we get one room? The three of us can share a bed, just like this…if you don’t mind?” Cordelia paused, taking in his reaction before continuing, “Wes and Gunn can suck up their manliness and share a bed, and we can get a rollaway bed for Fred? It’ll be close quarters, but at least we know we’re all safe and we don’t have to spend much.”

Cordelia took a breath and smiled. She was rambling and if there was one thing Cordelia Chase didn’t do, it was rambling.

She felt like a school girl again.

 That is exactly why he needed Cordelia around. She could always tell him exactly what he needed to hear, even if he didn’t know he needed to hear it. He looked down at Connor for a moment. He reached out to stroke the baby’s cheek. If she felt like a schoolgirl, then he definitely felt like a nervous schoolboy. It was amazing how often he seemed to bend to these headstrong women in his unlife. Darla, Buffy, Cordelia. He didn’t want to lay here and play armchair therapist with himself. He had valuable hours of brooding time set aside for just that very purpose.

“If we’re all in one room, then if anyone tries anything, we’re all there to protect Connor.” He was trying to frame it as if it wasn’t the money issue; it was the Connor safety issue. He could just imagine Wolfram and Hart sending someone after them to get Connor. Or any number of demons who hung around the Hellmouth, once they got word of this child, coming right at them. There was a strength in numbers, not to mention that it would be a lot easier on his wallet. Why he could remember a time when he could stay in a nice hotel for an entire month for the cost of what one night was at some of these run down joints. There was something to be said for being as old as he was. It made you really appreciate the value of a dollar.

Angel saw something come across Cordelia’s face, some thought, a change in her eyes and just a subtle shift of her features. “Cordy…is there something else? Did you have another vision?” He wasn’t sure but something was tugging at him, pulling at him. He reached out to touch her but he pulled back quickly when Connor shifted in his sleep. Hoping that it wasn’t another vision but he had no idea that she was now having dreams about Joyce. It was just a gut instinct, a gut instinct that helped him in countless battles.