Who I Am, What I'll Become Fic 6: When the Past Calls (1/1)
Title: When the Past Calls: Story 6 in the "Who I Am, What I'll Become" Series
Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: faithboscorelli1@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: The Angel and Buffy gang belong to Joss Whedon. Liz and the Roswellians belong to Melinda Metz and Jason Katims. Don't sue, I'm broke.
Rating: PG-13 for language and content
Spoilers: Somewhat based on the Angel second season episode "First Impressions." It's actually more of a rewrite type of thing, that has a couple of the elements from that episode that are similar...it's hard to explain. Other than that, there are minor spoilers for the previous five stories in this series, up through "Destiny" of Roswell, and the whole Glory-related storyline on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Summary: Cordelia has a disturbing vision and is forced to make a choice.
Category: Story/Crossover with Roswell and Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Feedback: Is very motivational to getting the next story in this series. :)
Dedication: This one's for Lili.
When the Past Calls
Cordelia grimaced at the grease stain on her new blouse and heaved a sigh. She should have been used to soiled clothes by now, and for the most part she was. Working for Angel, after all, rarely allowed her to stay Snuggle Fresh. But she had just bought this shirt a few days ago and dammit, she really liked it.
She wondered if she could wheedle Angel into paying her dry cleaning expense so she didn't have to throw away the blouse. Shouldn't be a difficult task considering the fact that Angel was so distracted lately.
Cordelia frowned and hung up the shirt on a hanger, and then pulled on an old sweatshirt.
Angel had moved out of her apartment nearly two weeks ago, and something seemed to have been bothering him ever since. He was sleeping more, for one. Before, he only slept for a couple of hours a day. He always said he didn't need more than that. But now...
Now he slept between 12 and 13 hours every day. When he was awake, he seemed to be distracted by something. It was like he was there, but he wasn't.
And this afternoon, working with Gunn and Wesley and her, Angel nearly got beaten by another vampire. It hadn't even been a big vampire. Just a normal one that he could generally dust in mere seconds.
She sighed again as she walked down the hall carrying a worn copy of Jane Eyre. As soon as she sat down to read, however, she began feeling restless and agitated.
Cordelia set the book aside and moved over to the couch, picking up the portable phone on the table next to it, and quickly dialing a number.
"Hello?"
"Liz? Hi, it's Cordelia."
"Hi! How are you?"
Cordelia smiled and curled her feet under her. "Okay. It was my turn to call and we hadn't talked for awhile so...is now a good time?"
"Yeah, it's great. I was just getting ready to take a break from studying for a chemistry test."
"It's your first week of school and you already have a test?"
"Um, well...actually, the test isn't for two weeks, but I'm trying to stay ahead, so..."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I know. I'm a big geek," Liz said with a laugh.
"No, it's great. You'll need good grades for Harvard," Cordelia said wistfully. She felt a pang of regret but didn't dwell on it long. "So, you and Max. What's the latest news?"
"We're taking things slowly. We're going to give each other time to adjust to...things."
"Meaning Tess."
"No. Yeah. Sort of." Liz sighed. "It's just...every time I turn around, she's there. And even when Max and I are alone, she's still there. Not physically, but..."
"I know what you mean," Cordelia said, wishing she didn't. "But I saw the way Max looks at you, Liz, and he loves *you*. Not Tess."
"I know that. I do. It's just...what if she's right? What if they are meant to be together and I'm just prolonging the inevitable?"
Cordelia frowned. "If you love Max and he loves you, that's all you should think about."
"Maybe." Liz was quiet for a minute. "So are you used to Angel living at the hotel yet?"
"Well, I would be if he wasn't acting really weird lately."
"Weird how?"
"Sleeping all the time, acting...I don't know. More broody than usual? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm used to seeing Angel brood, but he hadn't done it in so long. I just thought maybe he was happier, you know? But not as in perfectly-happy-that-causes-him-to-turn-evil-and-kill-everyone kind of happy. Just...not as miserable."
"What do you think is causing it?"
"That's the problem. I have no idea. Maybe there's another one of those demons at the hotel..." Cordelia's voice trailed off.
"You're really worried."
"Yeah," she admitted. "But everytime I ask if he's okay, he tells me he's fine." Cordelia gazed at the fire in her fireplace. "But I know him well enough to know that he's not. I just don't know if I can help him. I don't know if he'll let me help him."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, Angel."
Angel turned to see Darla standing behind him, wearing a form-fitting silky red dress. "Darla."
"I told you I'd be back, didn't I?" She smiled at him and held her hands out. Unable to resist, Angel interlaced his fingers with hers and pulled her close. "Did you miss me?" she asked, tilting her face up to look at him.
"Yes," he confessed.
"I miss you," she told him.
Angel frowned. "I'm right here."
"But you won't stay. You never stay. Whenever one of your friends call, you always leave me. I'll always be second-best, won't I?"
"Darla--"
"You can't save the world, Angel. Most of the people in it don't even deserved to be saved. But you never give up."
"I can't," he whispered.
"You won't." She pulled away from him. "The sad part is...they don't appreciate you. They don't even need you. But I do." Darla smiled at him sadly, then turned to go.
"Darla, wait--"
"Oh, don't worry." She smiled at him again. "I'll be back again real soon. You see," she said, her voice dropping as she moved to whisper in his ear. "*I* never give up either."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Isabel's been hanging around more often. Of course, I think that has more to do with Alex than with Maria and I, but..."
"You never know. Being popular has its downfalls," Cordelia told her.
"Like what?"
"It gets lonely. Maybe she does like Alex, but maybe she wants some real friends, too," she said quietly, feeling sad.
She remembered what it was like to be popular, to have people hang on her every word--people who basically worshipped her. But she also remembered that none of those people actually ever knew her or even wanted to.
Then she started dating Xander Harris, and hanging out with the Scooby gang. God, how she'd envied the friendship that Xander and Willow and Buffy had. They accepted one another, and even though they had their disagreements, they loved one another.
Cordelia had wanted so much to be a part of that, but she didn't know how to be. She didn't know how to act around them, or what to say. She had never fit in with them. In fact, until she came to L.A. and hooked up with Angel and eventually Wesley, she hadn't fit in anywhewre. Admittedly, that was at least partly her own fault, but everyone makes mistakes. She was just glad that what happened back then was over now, and she didn't have to look back.
"Cordy, are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about high school."
"Well, do you have any advice? On how to make Isabel feel more comfortable around us?" Liz asked hopefully.
"Include her in things. Ask her what she thinks and listen to what she has to say," Cordelia answered immediately. "And Liz?"
"Yeah?"
"Make sure she knows you're not just including her because your friend has a crush on her."
"Right."
Cordelia was about to say something else when a familiar feeling washed over her. "Oh, no," she mumbled as she gripped her head in one hand.
"Cordelia?"
"Vision." She squeezed her eyes shut tight and braced herself as best she could.
*Flash* A woman with long blond hair.
*Flash* An old underground building of some sort.
*Flash* Xander, Buffy and Willow being unable to escape as they were held in place by some unseen force.
*Flash* Dawn Summers being attacked and killed by the blond woman.
Cordelia's eyes flew open and she gasped.
"Cordelia! Are you all right?"
She clutched the phone to her ear. "Liz, I have to go. I have to call Angel!"
"Okay. Good luck!"
She shut the phone off and immediately turned it back on, dialing Angel's number as quickly as she could. Her head throbbing and her mind racing, Cordelia paced the living room floor as she waited for him to answer. "Come on, come on," she said impatiently.
When he hadn't answered by the tenth ring, she hung up the phone and tried calling Wesley. He didn't answer but his machine picked up.
"Wesley, if you're screening your calls, pick up right now. I have just had a vision and..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the clock. "Forget it, Wes. I'll just call Giles or Buffy or someone and warn them." She hung up the phone and rolled her eyes. "Now why didn't I think of that before?"
Cordelia hurried to her purse and pulled out her address book. She located Giles' number and quickly punched it in. There was no answer.
"Damn." She drew in a deep breath and dialed the Summers' house.
On the third ring, Buffy picked up. "Dawn?"
"Uh, no. It's Cordelia. Listen, I--"
"Cordelia, I don't have time to talk," Buffy cut her off.
"It's about your--"
"My sister is missing! I don't have time to deal with you!"
"Buffy, come on, let's go," a voice said in the background.
Cordelia recognized the voice immediately. "Buffy, let me talk to Xander!" she commanded.
"Not now!"
A second later the phone went dead and all she could hear was the dial tone.
Cordelia stood in the middle of her living room holding the phone. She closed her eyes briefly, dread building within in. Then with a sigh of resolution, she set the phone in its cradle and hurried to her closet. She pulled out a duffle bag from the top shelf and stuffed her battle ax into it, along with a couple of stakes and a bottle of holy water.
Then she grabbed her coat and quickly put it on. "Dennis, I have to go to Sunnydale for awhile, but I'll be back. I hope."
Then Cordelia hurried out of her apartment and down to Angel's car, praying that she could get there in time.
The End
Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: faithboscorelli1@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: The Angel and Buffy gang belong to Joss Whedon. Liz and the Roswellians belong to Melinda Metz and Jason Katims. Don't sue, I'm broke.
Rating: PG-13 for language and content
Spoilers: Somewhat based on the Angel second season episode "First Impressions." It's actually more of a rewrite type of thing, that has a couple of the elements from that episode that are similar...it's hard to explain. Other than that, there are minor spoilers for the previous five stories in this series, up through "Destiny" of Roswell, and the whole Glory-related storyline on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Summary: Cordelia has a disturbing vision and is forced to make a choice.
Category: Story/Crossover with Roswell and Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Feedback: Is very motivational to getting the next story in this series. :)
Dedication: This one's for Lili.
When the Past Calls
Cordelia grimaced at the grease stain on her new blouse and heaved a sigh. She should have been used to soiled clothes by now, and for the most part she was. Working for Angel, after all, rarely allowed her to stay Snuggle Fresh. But she had just bought this shirt a few days ago and dammit, she really liked it.
She wondered if she could wheedle Angel into paying her dry cleaning expense so she didn't have to throw away the blouse. Shouldn't be a difficult task considering the fact that Angel was so distracted lately.
Cordelia frowned and hung up the shirt on a hanger, and then pulled on an old sweatshirt.
Angel had moved out of her apartment nearly two weeks ago, and something seemed to have been bothering him ever since. He was sleeping more, for one. Before, he only slept for a couple of hours a day. He always said he didn't need more than that. But now...
Now he slept between 12 and 13 hours every day. When he was awake, he seemed to be distracted by something. It was like he was there, but he wasn't.
And this afternoon, working with Gunn and Wesley and her, Angel nearly got beaten by another vampire. It hadn't even been a big vampire. Just a normal one that he could generally dust in mere seconds.
She sighed again as she walked down the hall carrying a worn copy of Jane Eyre. As soon as she sat down to read, however, she began feeling restless and agitated.
Cordelia set the book aside and moved over to the couch, picking up the portable phone on the table next to it, and quickly dialing a number.
"Hello?"
"Liz? Hi, it's Cordelia."
"Hi! How are you?"
Cordelia smiled and curled her feet under her. "Okay. It was my turn to call and we hadn't talked for awhile so...is now a good time?"
"Yeah, it's great. I was just getting ready to take a break from studying for a chemistry test."
"It's your first week of school and you already have a test?"
"Um, well...actually, the test isn't for two weeks, but I'm trying to stay ahead, so..."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I know. I'm a big geek," Liz said with a laugh.
"No, it's great. You'll need good grades for Harvard," Cordelia said wistfully. She felt a pang of regret but didn't dwell on it long. "So, you and Max. What's the latest news?"
"We're taking things slowly. We're going to give each other time to adjust to...things."
"Meaning Tess."
"No. Yeah. Sort of." Liz sighed. "It's just...every time I turn around, she's there. And even when Max and I are alone, she's still there. Not physically, but..."
"I know what you mean," Cordelia said, wishing she didn't. "But I saw the way Max looks at you, Liz, and he loves *you*. Not Tess."
"I know that. I do. It's just...what if she's right? What if they are meant to be together and I'm just prolonging the inevitable?"
Cordelia frowned. "If you love Max and he loves you, that's all you should think about."
"Maybe." Liz was quiet for a minute. "So are you used to Angel living at the hotel yet?"
"Well, I would be if he wasn't acting really weird lately."
"Weird how?"
"Sleeping all the time, acting...I don't know. More broody than usual? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm used to seeing Angel brood, but he hadn't done it in so long. I just thought maybe he was happier, you know? But not as in perfectly-happy-that-causes-him-to-turn-evil-and-kill-everyone kind of happy. Just...not as miserable."
"What do you think is causing it?"
"That's the problem. I have no idea. Maybe there's another one of those demons at the hotel..." Cordelia's voice trailed off.
"You're really worried."
"Yeah," she admitted. "But everytime I ask if he's okay, he tells me he's fine." Cordelia gazed at the fire in her fireplace. "But I know him well enough to know that he's not. I just don't know if I can help him. I don't know if he'll let me help him."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, Angel."
Angel turned to see Darla standing behind him, wearing a form-fitting silky red dress. "Darla."
"I told you I'd be back, didn't I?" She smiled at him and held her hands out. Unable to resist, Angel interlaced his fingers with hers and pulled her close. "Did you miss me?" she asked, tilting her face up to look at him.
"Yes," he confessed.
"I miss you," she told him.
Angel frowned. "I'm right here."
"But you won't stay. You never stay. Whenever one of your friends call, you always leave me. I'll always be second-best, won't I?"
"Darla--"
"You can't save the world, Angel. Most of the people in it don't even deserved to be saved. But you never give up."
"I can't," he whispered.
"You won't." She pulled away from him. "The sad part is...they don't appreciate you. They don't even need you. But I do." Darla smiled at him sadly, then turned to go.
"Darla, wait--"
"Oh, don't worry." She smiled at him again. "I'll be back again real soon. You see," she said, her voice dropping as she moved to whisper in his ear. "*I* never give up either."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Isabel's been hanging around more often. Of course, I think that has more to do with Alex than with Maria and I, but..."
"You never know. Being popular has its downfalls," Cordelia told her.
"Like what?"
"It gets lonely. Maybe she does like Alex, but maybe she wants some real friends, too," she said quietly, feeling sad.
She remembered what it was like to be popular, to have people hang on her every word--people who basically worshipped her. But she also remembered that none of those people actually ever knew her or even wanted to.
Then she started dating Xander Harris, and hanging out with the Scooby gang. God, how she'd envied the friendship that Xander and Willow and Buffy had. They accepted one another, and even though they had their disagreements, they loved one another.
Cordelia had wanted so much to be a part of that, but she didn't know how to be. She didn't know how to act around them, or what to say. She had never fit in with them. In fact, until she came to L.A. and hooked up with Angel and eventually Wesley, she hadn't fit in anywhewre. Admittedly, that was at least partly her own fault, but everyone makes mistakes. She was just glad that what happened back then was over now, and she didn't have to look back.
"Cordy, are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about high school."
"Well, do you have any advice? On how to make Isabel feel more comfortable around us?" Liz asked hopefully.
"Include her in things. Ask her what she thinks and listen to what she has to say," Cordelia answered immediately. "And Liz?"
"Yeah?"
"Make sure she knows you're not just including her because your friend has a crush on her."
"Right."
Cordelia was about to say something else when a familiar feeling washed over her. "Oh, no," she mumbled as she gripped her head in one hand.
"Cordelia?"
"Vision." She squeezed her eyes shut tight and braced herself as best she could.
*Flash* A woman with long blond hair.
*Flash* An old underground building of some sort.
*Flash* Xander, Buffy and Willow being unable to escape as they were held in place by some unseen force.
*Flash* Dawn Summers being attacked and killed by the blond woman.
Cordelia's eyes flew open and she gasped.
"Cordelia! Are you all right?"
She clutched the phone to her ear. "Liz, I have to go. I have to call Angel!"
"Okay. Good luck!"
She shut the phone off and immediately turned it back on, dialing Angel's number as quickly as she could. Her head throbbing and her mind racing, Cordelia paced the living room floor as she waited for him to answer. "Come on, come on," she said impatiently.
When he hadn't answered by the tenth ring, she hung up the phone and tried calling Wesley. He didn't answer but his machine picked up.
"Wesley, if you're screening your calls, pick up right now. I have just had a vision and..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the clock. "Forget it, Wes. I'll just call Giles or Buffy or someone and warn them." She hung up the phone and rolled her eyes. "Now why didn't I think of that before?"
Cordelia hurried to her purse and pulled out her address book. She located Giles' number and quickly punched it in. There was no answer.
"Damn." She drew in a deep breath and dialed the Summers' house.
On the third ring, Buffy picked up. "Dawn?"
"Uh, no. It's Cordelia. Listen, I--"
"Cordelia, I don't have time to talk," Buffy cut her off.
"It's about your--"
"My sister is missing! I don't have time to deal with you!"
"Buffy, come on, let's go," a voice said in the background.
Cordelia recognized the voice immediately. "Buffy, let me talk to Xander!" she commanded.
"Not now!"
A second later the phone went dead and all she could hear was the dial tone.
Cordelia stood in the middle of her living room holding the phone. She closed her eyes briefly, dread building within in. Then with a sigh of resolution, she set the phone in its cradle and hurried to her closet. She pulled out a duffle bag from the top shelf and stuffed her battle ax into it, along with a couple of stakes and a bottle of holy water.
Then she grabbed her coat and quickly put it on. "Dennis, I have to go to Sunnydale for awhile, but I'll be back. I hope."
Then Cordelia hurried out of her apartment and down to Angel's car, praying that she could get there in time.
The End