Pas de Deux: A Dance For Two

Disclaimer: For legal purposes, Joss Whedon and company own the characters from the shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series.

BUT IN ALL OTHER WAYS THAT ARE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT- Buffy owns Angel and Angel owns Buffy. Always and forever.

Feedback: Hey, if not for me- then for all the terrific Sarah/David and B/A fanfiction writers out there! They really could use all the support you have to give in these dark times.

Dedication: Thanks to Nariya for helping me out with this one, as well as Blade, Goldy, Regala, and Sara Lee who we nice enough to email me to see how I was doing. And to all the nice B/A friendly babblers at the Babble Board, BA or BUST! And as always- to all of the B/A and Sarah and David shippers out there! I hope this makes you all happy. WE MUST KEEP THE FAITH!

Not sickness, nor Aged/Chicken Bird/Spoiled food poisoning, nor cut off Internet access or horrible plots could stop me from continuing to write BA fanfic.

Rating: There is an NC-17 version and an R version of this. This is the R version.

Distribution: Wow? You actually want this? Well email me and I'll give it you on a silver platter.

Background: This is my ANTI-A/C fic chockfull of lovely B/Aness. My re-write of Angel Season Three’s Waiting In the Wings. Also has some ANTI-B/S.

Pas de deux is the official ballet term for a coupled ballet dance, traditionally between the female ballerina and her male partner. There can only be two people in this kind of dance.

Cordelia could be looking straight at him and not see him. Not really see him. She could never look beyond the fake smiles, the feigned clownish antics, and his clearly uncharacteristic behavior.

Honestly? He didn’t know why he did what he did. Maybe because he was waiting. Hoping someone would call his bluff- stare him straight in the eye and say he wasn’t weak. That he could never be this weakling. He was better than this- much better… Always better. But no one ever did stop his play. Or could know his deepest thoughts with just a glance. Especially her.

It could have been because they hadn’t known each other long. Or because their relationship was still strained. Honestly- it just came down to one thing.

She just wasn’t Buffy.

“Mail’s here,” Cordelia called to him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He fumbled for a moment still wallowing in his thoughts, “Thanks.”

“Here,” she said without looking up at him, handing Angel a large white envelope with no return address on it. “If it’s a bill, you’re paying.”

He murmured a reply, and out of habit strode to his office to read it. But he stopped in his tracks, realizing that it wasn’t his office anymore. There wasn’t anything that was really his anymore. For a moment, he thought about Connor- but the idea quickly left his thoughts. Connor wasn’t anymore Angel’s than his former office was. Connor, though he was just a child- his own son… well, probably his own son- was just another device.

A device that belonged either to the PTB, or some other forces that Angel was not aware of. Connor was never meant to be and yet he was here- crying in Cordelia’s arms. Connor, like all of the other people in his life seemed to be just another part of the chaos that could never be understood.

He sighed at himself, as he tore open the envelope- Angel needed time alone. Maybe then the illogical world he lived in could start making some sense again. And almost as if someone had read his mind, he saw his chance.

Four white little tickets in his hand. He looked over them carefully, and realized they were the genuine article- stubs for the upcoming ballet. Stunned, Angel looked for a card- or any hint of where they had come from. There had been no return address anywhere to be found, and Angel’s vampire senses detected nothing inherently evil from the envelope or its contents. The only thing that held any sort of clue was a plain piece of paper included with the tickets.

In long elegant handwriting, a single sentence graced the otherwise plan piece of paper.

*Pas de deux.*

And that’s all it said.

“Well… Giselle has the courtship dance where she dances with her lover,” Angel said aloud to himself, explaining the enigmatic French phrase.

“What’s wrong, Angelcakes,” Lorne asked, as he passed the vampire while making his way through the lobby.

The rest of Angel Investigations stopped its business and turned to Angel- Cordelia stepped out from her desk, “What is it?”

Angel smiled at the four tickets, already imagining a quiet night alone as he held the tickets up and said, “We are stepping out.”

*****

Two hours later the dark curtain of night had draped the city of angels with its velvet ebony and Cordelia Chase was stomping her foot.

“I still don’t see the problem here,” she pushed, clicking her high-heeled shoe on the floor.

“There are four tickets, Cordelia. I’m not going,” Angel said causally, looking for his copy of La Nausée to read.

“What about Gunn? Gunn,” Cordelia chimed as he walked up to them clad in his pressed tuxedo. “You’re not REALLY interested in the ballet are you?”

Gunn looked over to Angel, part of him sad to see that Angel wouldn’t be joining them, “Me? Naw… Brother like me not interested in some fruity clowns with wardrobes designed by L’eggs and really I want to-”

“Spend some time with Fred who loves the ballet,” Angel interrupted, as Gunn’s attention turned from the vampire to lady in question who now descended the staircase.

Gunn took one look at the former librarian and quickly moved to her side, “Thanks Angel. Knew you could understand. Bye!”

The two figures quickly made their exit to the car, leaving Cordelia thoroughly rebuffed. She wrapped the shawl around herself as she continued to try to persuade Angel to come.

Cordelia coaxed, “Okay so there’s Wesley-”

“Who is already waiting in the car, fighting in the backseat with Gunn over who gets to sit next to Fred and is drooling at the chance to soak in some culture,” Angel said again, taking Cordelia and leading her to the door.

“And you don’t HAVE TO STAY HERE to watch the baby,” she argued, as she got into the passenger seat and Angel slid into the drivers seat. “We can get you a ticket-”

“Lorne may need help,” he explained to her for the third time, starting the car and driving the group over to the theater. “And he shouldn’t have to be alone with the baby. If you should be buying tickets for anyone, it should be Lorne- not me.”

Cordelia sulked at her place in the car as the drive went by quietly. Fred, Gunn and Wesley talked in the back, as Angel wordlessly chauffeured them to their destination. When they arrived at the ballet, Gunn and Wesley eagerly stepped out of the convertible to help Fred out of the car. With each man by her side, they hurriedly entered the theater leaving Cordelia and Angel behind in the front seat.

The brunette still accosted him, “So you’d rather read some stuffy French book written by some dead guy then say… Be my escort tonight so I don’t look TOTALLY out of place, while the dueling Romeos vie for Juliet-Fred’s attention?”

“I’m dead… It makes sense,” he continued, waiting for her to get out of the car.

Her smile faded again as she got more serious, “You’re not going into brood mode. Angel what is this? Couldn’t we just buy a ticket, just go together so that everyone can stop waiting for-”

But Angel knew the real meaning behind Cordelia’s words, “Cordelia, you’ll be late. Go- Without me.”

She just shook her head as she quietly tried to reason with him, “I don’t understand this…Why? What is wrong about this? This is good for you- to get out, be with people. And I can’t remember the last time I did something that didn’t involve having to hack or slash anything...”

“Cordelia, I don’t see why-”

“No you don’t see, Angel… This is what people do. They go out, they do things! What is your deal,” demanded, her eyes drilling his.

Angel looked over to Cordelia, to her questioning face. A face that could never be the one he passionately loved. Deep past her cool exterior, he did see kindness and the concern. That’s what made her seem like the sister he had once lost long ago. But he also saw the desperation. And Angel knew without a doubt that he could never love her in the way she was expecting him to.

Pushing… Always pushing…

Pushing even now- though Angel did not fully comprehend her words…

She didn’t wait for him to answer her questions, Cordelia just kept firing her arsenals of half-compliments- any and every trick so that she could have her way.

Word after word after word…

Insults, like claws that shredded at him… Grating…

He couldn’t take it anymore…

He wouldn’t… He had to scream-

“Cordelia!”

The well dressed brunette froze at his loud angry tone, “What? What it is?”

Angel furiously shook his head unable to hold in all of the frustration, “I mean… Look- one minute Gunn loves me like a brother and the next he can’t stand to be in the same room with me because I’m a demon.”

Baffled, Cordelia didn’t see the connection, “That has nothing to do with me, I don’t-”

“But you do, Cordelia,” he pressed, gripping her shoulders- determined to make her listen. “Its… its… It’s everything.”

“Angel,” she asked, moving to touch him but he quickly stopped her.

He focused on what he needed to say, “Sometimes you and the others… I just feel like I’m being moved around some giant chessboard until one of the cosmic forces yells ‘Checkmate!’ and maybe then the game will be over.”

“So your blaming me for your ‘working for lowly us’ issues?”

But he refused to be ignored, “That’s not the point I’m trying to make.”

“Then what exactly are you trying to tell me? Huh? What,” Cordelia retorted. “I’m tried of being alone Angel…”

“The point is… the point is, the ground that I’m barely standing on is shakier than a flame in a storm. Rules keep getting changed on me, things aren’t how they should be- and… I’m expected to be something I’m not.”

Cordelia still relentlessly pursued the issue, “Things have always been crazy around here. I mean, hello- big evil slimey ick-things? Not the sanest people around, ‘kay?”

“No, that’s not what I mean. Before things were chaotic- but they always made sense. Now- they don’t resemble any sense of logic. At all.”

“You know… This has never been a problem before,” she fumed, growing more and more angry at him. “Why are we even talking about this?”

“It has been a problem,” he contended.

“Since when,” Cordelia challenged him.

“Since Pylea… Since before then… Everyone expects me to act a certain way, always changing- to be THEIR VERSION of a new and better Angel... But I think I'm pretty good right now. And when something bad happens- I’m ALWAYS THE ONE TO BLAME…Because I’ll see Buffy-”

“Buffy,” Cordelia spat out, her eyes glaring. “That’s what this is about isn’t it? This isn’t about Lorne not being able to go, or needing to watch the baby…This is about Buffy???”

“This isn’t about Buffy, Cordelia.”

“No- this is 100% about Buffy. You need to live your own life, Angel. Its always about her,” she argued.

Angel tried to make her understand, “Cordelia, can’t you see what I’m saying? Buffy is always going to be a part of me- but this about something else. This is about how I’m EXPECTED TO BE SOMETHING I’M NOT. This is about-

“Buffy… This is about Buffy…. Yeah, you loved Buffy…But you know what? You didn’t love her so much when she died,” she finally snapped, knowing that the comment would hurt him.

And that was the final straw.

Angel started the car and all but pushing Cordelia out of the passenger seat growled, “Goodbye.”

With that, Angel sped off into the night… Back to the hotel, and hopefully back on the road to reclaiming his life.

****

Angel was surprised to find the hotel empty, when he got back from the theater. His vampire senses had told him as much. Angel walked over to the phone, and found a note from Lorne saying he had taken the baby out. He worried about that, wondering if Lorne could protect Connor if something were to happen. But he scanned the rest of the note, reading that Lorne had taken several of his hefty demon friends- and the entire group was going to the library’s “Fairy Tale Night” for the younger patrons.

Bemused, he tried to picture Lorne and several other regulars from Cartias- sitting down and trying to read with the children. Though Angel was a worrier, something told him things were going to be okay. They were in public place with a lot of demons to protect Connor- and while that wasn’t a full proof situation, he somehow felt that Connor was being protected.

Feeling secure about the situation, Angel decided that he ought to patrol- search through the streets a little. Maybe then he’d be able to clear his head too. Making sure the spell on that the Transcending Furies had recast was still in place- he grabbed a few stakes and locked the doors of the hotel…

Angel had walked a block or two, stalking through the dark shadows- but saw no demons along the way. It was a fairly quiet night, which lent Angel more time for self-reflection than slaying monsters. He hadn’t had a lot of time for that- for enjoying the quieter pleasures he always indulged in before. Reading a good book, or sitting by the fire and listening to the sounds of the night. What had changed was that he had done what others had told him, acted on the expectations of others- in the hopes that any past differences could be resolved.

But they never were.

It was official. His life was a mess. A wreck of what it was before- everything twisted and tainted… To the point where the world made no sense and had little, if any meaning. Angel knew all of this- he wasn’t suicidal over it. He just wanted to make it better. He wanted things to make sense again, for the world to have a purpose- to…

To be better.

He wanted things to be better.

And though Cordelia didn’t understand him- or his plight… She was right about one thing. In some ways, this was about Buffy. While his discontent had its roots in many other aspects of his life- a part of his sadness, came from that loss. The loss of Buffy. Of her love and her presence in his life.

Out of all the illogical, meaningless things in his life- Buffy was his constant. She was the purest light that shone in the dirty blackness of the gutter he lived in. She called to him, always called to him- whether he was crouched in a dingy car at the steps of Hemery High School or stood at the highest hill in all of Sunnydale. She was real. Buffy was realer than anything else in his life.

She had put that spark into him. Buffy had started that fire that raged inside of him-the part of him that wanted to genuinely change, to help others.

To become someone.

To be better.

And he would be forever thankful to the powers, for letting him know her and love her. Though it would hurt Angel, he never expected Buffy to love or care for him. The present she had given him, and the gift he gave in return. The humble offerings of his soul and his love- he gave without asking for anything in return. Angel would rather suffer the tortures of Hell for eternity again, then to see her hurt- or worse… To be the cause of her pain and suffering.

Despite the absurdity of his life, he was resolved to put an end to it- if not for himself, then for her. For Buffy. The demons that made their way through his town would have to go through him to get to Sunnydale. He wouldn’t let them hurt her.

Angel was going to take back his life- to focus back on what he was meant to do.

“Excuse me sir, would you like to buy a flower,” a voice asked, breaking away his thoughts.

Angel turned towards the voice, keen and alert to any danger that lurked around. He spotted a barefoot old woman, with practically dusty torn rags for clothes. A small sign above a rusted cart read, FLOWERS and below listed the price for them. The vampire had not sensed anything demonic or evil about the woman, and walked over to her small cart- to see what she had inside.

“Flowers,” he repeated, as he saw the lovely red roses inside several large old buckets.

“Red roses,” she elaborated, pulling one of them from the water. “Beautiful flowers. Beautiful flowers for your beautiful lady.”

“I’ll buy them,” Angel agreed, looking through his pockets for the money to pay for them. “But… I’m afraid don’t have a beautiful lady.”

He handed her all of the money he had on him- far more than what the woman seemed to be asking for them. Still, she accepted the money. Oddly, from her worn out pockets, she pulled out a spotlessly clean red ribbon. Angel noticed the soft fabric had a golden shimmer to it, as the woman tied it around the bundle to keep the fresh roses secure.

“Here, sir. They have no thorns,” she said, showing him the long stem. ”See? Nothing to worry about when you’re holding them. Now you don’t have to worry about hurting yourself- or the pretty flower.”

“Thank you,” he agreed, sensing a strange feeling from this old woman as he took the long stemmed roses.

She smiled back at him, “You are welcomed. And more importantly, you are blessed.”

“Blessed,” he quietly asked, now entranced by the woman’s old gray eyes.

“I think you know what I mean,” she said knowingly to him, touching his chest warmly. “She has been a journey too. Like you, she has been cleansed. She is waiting for you right now. Go to her.”

“But how can I-”

“Pas de deux, Angel. There can only two people in such a dance,” she enigmatically replied.

Stunned at how the woman knew his name, he began to question her but she was already prattling off down the sidewalk. Still he followed, speeding to find her. He tried to reach her but somehow despite her age she was just a little faster, just a little quicker then he was. Before he knew it, he had lost her in the twist and turns of the jumbled streets. All he could hear was the clanging of her tattered cart while the soft humming of an old Kalderash tune filled the night air.

Quickly, flowers in hand- Angel sprinted all the way back to what he hoped was no longer an empty hotel.

He reached the golden doors to see that the lobby was softly lit, and a small graceful figure paced back and forth across the floor. Angel quickly opened the doors, running across the vast expanse of the room- knowing what gave his life meaning. Why he was here, now- his reason.

“Buffy,” he called to her, holding her close to his cool body.

“Angel,” Buffy breathed, as she wrapped her arms around him. “I love you.”

“I love you,” said softly into her ear as he nipped her tiny earlobe to kiss her lips.

“I’m sorry… I love you so much and I was dead without you… And I thought I could just disappear… Engulfed…By Spike,” she said to him making the underlying meaning clear, bracing herself for the rejection she feared would come.

Yet that only made Angel kiss Buffy harder, needing and wanting to love her all the more, “I never wanted you to ever know that pain, Buffy. Of feeling like… There isn’t anything else except Spike… Or Cordelia… But there is something Buffy. There is us. And I love us… I love you.”

“I only want you…It was always only you,” she confessed, kissing him soundly on the lips with her confession. “Not Spike… Not anyone else. Only you…”

“Cordelia... She's not meant to be with me… You are, Buffy. Because I know it in my heart. You're the only love I could ever love, physically...emotionally... everything that's in me,” he kissed back, his hands traveling from her waist to caress her cheeks.

“Stay with me,” she murmured, already looking to unbutton his shirt.

Angel kissed and agreed, whisking her into his arms, “Always stay, Buffy.“

His mouth eagerly sought to taste more of hers, while trying to make sure he carefully ascended the long staircase upstairs. He held his lovely soul mate close to him, intent on getting closer- always closer… Smothering her with long languid kisses as he carried her not to his own apartment, but at the end of the hall- the only restored deluxe hotel suite, the largest room in the hotel.

He nudged the unlocked door open with his foot as he continued his kisses. Both of them giddy with love and passion, Angel carried Buffy over the soft carpeted entrance- then closed the door with his foot. Buffy’s arm tightly held Angel close to her as their mouths melded together furiously. In her other hand she held tight the bouquet of flowers he had given her, the moment saw her and he kissed her in the lobby.

Slipping off his shoes, Angel brought Buffy to the large soft bed- sitting her down softly amongst the cream sheets. He bent down a little to take off her shoes as well- always kissing, his hands touching… Satisfied that Buffy was very, very comfortable, Angel let Buffy’s hands guide him to her on the bed…

****

It was almost the first time in her life that Cordelia Chase wished one of the many hell-spawned demons of the night would grab her right then and there. After an hour of watching the ballet it was now intermission, and not a moment too soon. As the curtains closed she noticed that Fred, Gunn, and Wesley had already made their way to the lobby- quick to snag the complimentary champagne and hor d'oeuvres. She too made her exit out into the lobby along with the rest of the audience but instead of catching up with the others, Cordelia made a direct beeline to the exit. Pushing through the heavy theater doors, she determinedly stepped out into the cold windy night. Cordelia was on a mission. Confidently, her high-heeled feet stepped firmly down on the cracked gray concrete of the city sidewalks- exuding a ferocity that was clear to anyone she passed.

For an hour of public television style dancing that would have in other circumstances- easily lulled her to sleep, her mind was awake with calculations. It took a while, and a lot of number crunching on her part but Cordelia finally figured out how Angel could pay for his extra ticket. Sure it would actually involve some clients PAYING for their services- a lot of clients, but still- she was positive that Angel would do it for this. How could he not? Though, maybe by the time they both got back to the theater it might be too late to see the rest of the ballet. They’d simply have to drive back- it wasn’t like Angel didn’t have a buck or two to pay for valet parking.

Her shoes were practically ruined by having to walk so far… A matter Cordelia would definitely settle with Angel after she set him straight about going back with her to see the rest of Giselle. She wondered if Angel had anything to wear besides the trademark monochrome color clothes he wore on a daily basis. He needed to look good if Angel was going back with her. Mentally, she did a mental inventory of Angel’s clothes- trying to remember if he had one. Yes, he did- she remembered, Angel wore a tux to go to their senior prom and be all Joe-saved-the-last-dance for Buffy in her “perfect high school moment”. She had thought back to a few weeks ago when while fishing through his closet to look for a new vase to replace the one she broke during their training session, Cordelia had seen the ensemble. The black suit was tucked away behind the rest of his clothes in the front of the closet. Along with some other boxed up things that she were also in the back- the brunette was surprised that she hadn’t seen before.

Cordelia had to sometimes look in Angel’s closet, quite a lot now that Connor was around- to find various baby things that might not have been in his dressing table. It had surprised her that there were things in there she hadn’t already been privy to before- and wondered how long the garment bag and those boxes had been inside. Judging by the amount of dust on the objects, it had clearly been a long time.

Well he’d have to simply shake the dust off the tux and be ready in flash so they could make it back in time. Sure, their late appearance would cause heads to turn- but wasn’t that the whole point? Make their heads turn, their eyes look- their thoughts turn jealous?

Turning the corner of the last block, she ran up the patio of the Hyperion Hotel- her high heeled feet running…. Suddenly, Cordelia ran into a woman exiting the gate.

Disoriented, Cordelia immediately lashed out at the woman forgetting that she could be a potential paying client, “Hey! Watch it you-“

“Excuse me, I did not see you in your rush,” the older woman apologized, her soiled sleeve flapping in the breeze as she pulled her rusty cart through the gate as well.

“Look, if you’re going to ask for money we don’t have any,” she warned slightly, wary the homeless woman that loitered here would be looking for a way to get some.

She held up her dirtied hands in defense, “I have no need for such things. Everything is as it should be- and there is no need for me here.”

“Sure,” Cordelia dismissed, moving past the woman about ready to close the gate to keep her from coming back in.

Eerily, the woman stopped her- grabbing her hand on the lock, “There is no need here for you right now either.”

Stunned, Cordelia angrily reeled her hand away from this stranger, “And who do you think you are?”

“He is his own man,” she replied, staring down at the younger woman. “Only two must dance in this dance.”

Yet despite her tattered clothes and worn appearance- the old woman’s smoky eyes that before were benevolent, flashed a darker stormy shade of slate gray as stared down Cordelia. Involuntarily, Cordelia found herself taking a step back from her- this strange woman’s eyes and entire demeanor suddenly became commanding… Almost authoritative, in a majestic sort of way- as if a single look or wave of the hand from this woman could mean the difference between life and death to those who would cross her.

Although Cordelia’s intuition was not as honed as much as she would like- even a deaf, dumb and blind idiot could sense this… was it power?

But suddenly in a flash, her posture changed and she slumped down again- pulling her cart further out onto the sidewalk. Her head turned to the side, the wind whispering in her ear. Cordelia edged slowly into the patio, ready to close the gate while she reasoned this woman was listening to whatever crazy voice was speaking to her. She carefully locked the gate and turned around to walk into the lobby before the woman called out for her.

“Tonight you will learn a lesson that my son nor my grandniece did not fully understand until they died at the hands of another,” she spoke to her through the bars of the gate.

Mustering all of her courage Cordelia walked back to the gate, staring her straight in the face. The bars were the only thing that separated the two women, and making Cordelia feel safe enough to finally end this strange encounter.

“Look- I don’t know what your deal is but if you need help with some problem or something, speak to the broody guy inside. Otherwise, you’re loitering on private property. I’ll call the police if you don’t,” she warned- trying to give the woman as much of her own intimidating glare as she could.

“There are some things that can be changed- and there are others that can not. Knowing the difference and acting accordingly in time, that is the key. Do not mess with what can not be pulled apart,” she said in return, reaching out her hand at the other woman. “This is his.”

“His what,” she screamed not wanting to make any close contact with this strange woman.

Instinctively she batted away the old hag’s hand as she had before. Yet this stranger tightened her grip around Cordelia’s fist- making Cordelia look up to question the old woman.

But she was gone.

Nowhere to be seen.

Tentatively, Cordelia stepped out of the gate. The brunette looked left and right, then down the twisting roads- but saw no trace of the woman. The stranger, whoever she was- had disappeared, back to wherever she had come from. Her hand still in her tightest grip, grasped to see a fist full of money lying flat in her palm. It was a quite bit of money. She took a moment to count all of it- luxuriate in the feel of it and the aroma she that had so sorely missed. This was more than enough to cover the ticket cost- but still, she would definitely insist on still getting more clients to pay for it nevertheless.

Finally making it inside the hotel, she entered the lobby- but saw that no one was there. Assuming Angel was probably upstairs in his room, Cordelia padded up the steps to the second floor to find him. When she had come in, she had heard laughter… But by the time she had ascended the stairs, the noise stopped and was replaced by something else- something she couldn’t quite make out. Angel was probably playing with Connor, and perhaps now they had moved onto another fun activity… Or possibly Angel was laying him down to sleep.

Yet when she opened the door to Angel’s apartment, the room was empty. No Angel and no baby. She looked in all of the rooms in his apartment- the sitting room, his bedroom and the baby’s nursery. Still, no one was there. Confused, she wondered where he had gone when suddenly she heard muffled noises- coming from the hallway.

As she exited his apartment, she looked down at the end of the corridor and realized that the noises where coming from the large deluxe suite they had just fixed up a few weeks ago. Determined to find him, Cordelia stalked down the hallway to find Angel. Only, the closer and closer she got to the door- the louder the noises became. She slowed down- trying to listen as she heard…

Moaning… And growling?

Money in hand, Cordelia quietly opened the door to see what Angel was doing. The door was only open a crack before she heard it- the sound of soft sighs and wet flesh smacking together. Even though the door was open only a crack- she was not spared any of the view before her.

Buffy… taking all the way in Angel’s… Angel with his head buried between Buffy’s own…

Shocked, she let go of the door as if its doorknob had burned her- all of the money she held scattering to the ground. Getting behind the door as if it were a shield to the moans and groans of their arousal. The large wooden door offered no such shelter- the decibel of their romp only increasing, turning louder and louder. About to go in and stop all of this before Angel went evil- she remembered the strange woman’s words.

*Only two must dance in this dance*

*He is his own man*

*Do not mess with what can not be pulled apart*

“This is his,” Cordelia said out aloud, yet even with their mystical senses neither of the couple heard her- too busy feasting on each other’s flesh to notice.

Cordelia was too amazed by this revelation to do anything except stand there stupidly at the sight- then run back out into the hallway again. Trying to recollect her senses, she decided to go back in and break up the tryst. But as she turned back to throw open the slightly ajar door she heard Buffy scream out Angel’s name- and Angel just as loudly call out for Buffy. Horrified, with her own two eyes Cordelia SAW Buffy’s hard release- just at the same time Angel was having a release of his own… She flinched, but even when she opened her eyes again they were still… thrusting against each other, moaning until they finished their fun.

Only they didn’t finish. Not really- now they were turned about, facing each other- whispering things the brunette couldn’t make out. She tried to talk- to scream or yell or do something, but she was aghast at the couple before her. And then when their already disgusting kisses where increasingly fevered, hungry for each other- ready for what looked like to be round number two…

“I’m here. We are here- together,” he whispered, as Cordelia revoltingly watched Angel slobbered his way up the blonde’s body.

It was all she could do to keep from going insane as she saw Angel reaching for… a rose? On the table, it was there- part of an entire bouquet of roses…. Which looked like a very EXPENSIVE bouquet Angel actually BOUGHT for her.

“Mmmmmm,” Buffy moaned into his mouth. “I love you, Angel.”

“I love you- Buffy,” he replied, his left hand tangling in her hair while he brought the dark red rose up to her nose to smell.

Cordelia didn’t need to see Buffy’s reaction to the flowery aroma, she could smell the sickening sweetness from all the way across the large stateroom. Though the aroma did nothing to block the heavy musk of sex and lovemaking that deeply saturated the otherwise crisp night air. What was she doing here like this? Subjecting herself to this… words couldn’t even begin to describe what she was watching as Cordelia saw Angel gently turn Buffy over so that her back faced him. All the while still stroking her with that incredibly expensive looking rose…

“Just you. Only you,” he softly said, kissing her temple as he moved the silky dark crimson flower over her golden skin.

And that’s when it all clicked in Cordelia’s head.

Just her.

Only her.

Only Buffy.

Angel loved Buffy.

Only Buffy.

They were simple words- but they stuck in her head and in her throat with its righteous thorns and refused to let the young woman go. Angel loved Buffy- would ALWAYS love Buffy. It was silly for her to even think that there was a possibility… He did not see her when she first laid eyes on him at the Bronze, and Angel didn’t realize she was there now. Angel didn’t know her. For such a major revelation, it was quiet in her mind- not loud or thundering words from on high. They were quiet- but firm, all the more validating their truth.

And she wasn’t sure what she would do at it.

She could fight Buffy on this- as she did in high school all those years ago. Been there, flirted that… And still it wouldn’t change the fact that Angel loved her. Would always love her. And Buffy would always love him back. Not wanting to witness any more of her defeat, Cordelia quietly closed the door- in time to see the rose dip under their sweat covered sheers. Beyond anyplace that Cordelia wanted to think about now.

As she walked down the hall, and descended the stairs she wondered… What had happened to her? What happened to the no nonsense girl who didn’t take disrespect from anyone and spoke her mind? Who was she now? What kind of woman was she to pine for Angel while he bedded his true love that could never be her? What had she become? And the question that worried her most of all as she slipped out into the night- how could she have let this happen to herself?

It was as if Cordelia hadn’t been there at all.

This was a dance for two.

****

A low down rumble escaped from his throat as he tried once again to tell her, to speak or say anything at all.

“We don’t ever have to stop. Never stop,” he gritted out, showing off his vampire speed- easily flipping Buffy comfortably on her back.

Angel smiled and moved away from his kisses to look up at her, expecting to her features graced with a teasing but completely adoring smile. But when Angel finally looked at her, he saw something in her eyes- there was something else… It worried him.

Buffy continued her erotic play but still nervously asked the careful question, “Even when your friend brings back Connor?”

The easy grin Angel smiled suddenly slipped away,“ You know about Connor?”

Buffy nodded from beneath him, still touching, “The lady… She gives you a run for your money in the cryptic department… But I read the note your friend Lorne left behind and he mentioned the baby… And then his joke about Darla at the end of the it…Working with what the woman said I just put-“

Soberly Angel began to move away from her, “No, you have every right to… I shouldn’t have just-”

Buffy turned her face down, afraid to look in his eyes, “Its okay, Angel. I’ll understand if you want me to leave.”

Angel turned his head in shock at that, “Why would I ask YOU to leave? I mean- I know you must want to-”

“Leave? Me,” Buffy asked, daring to look up at him. “I just wanted to see you, to let you know about me, and so, you know- she could tell you about your curse. And then it was like… there was this perfect beautiful moment.”

“If you want- you can leave… Its all right you… Do you? Want to,” he asked, so vulnerable when it came to Buffy.

“Well only if you want me to- I can go… I’ll go right now, and just…be gone with the going away part,” Buffy rambled.

Timidly, they both looked to the other for answers. And saw only the silliness of their insecurities reflected back at them. Neither could help laughing at that. Really, laughing- at the nonsense of it… At being able to sit back, look at themselves and really realize just how absurd all of their tip-toeing was.

Angel lay back down close to Buffy, shaking his head and laughing, “We’re horrible.”

“But we’re horrible together,” Buffy groaned good-naturedly, though she tried to contain herself from giggling. “And somehow, just by saying that- it sounds even worse.”

“Not the together part,” Angel smiled again, kissing her softly again on her tiny lips. ”That sounds just right.”

“Mmmmm,” Buffy sighed, as their lips met and she lay flush against his cool body once again. “I like now. Its very now with its pleasantly now-ness… And when Connor comes?”

“When he comes, he’ll probably be all tucked out… And we can… continue, as long as we’re quiet,” he winked, ducking down to lave at the right side of her neck.

Buffy wrapped her arms around him, sighing as she asked, “And in the morning?”

“In the morning, he’ll fall instantly in love with you,” he answered, playfully blowing in her ear.

“I really love the simplicity of that. I love you,” she mumbled, her hands going back to their previous pleasure spots for rubbing.

“The rest I’ve realized- is just details,” he kissed, moving even closer and easing his body down to her. ”Mmmmm, Buffy- I love you- I want you… just like this.”

She raised a flirtatious eyebrow at him, “Ooooh- like how?”

“Just to be able to see your face,” he said, tracing his cool finger across her lips as he stared passionately into her eyes.

With his lusty declaration, their lips fell into another deep seductive kiss. Buffy leaned up into him, as his arms moved to cradle her body. Her tiny head rested on the length of his elbow, connected to a gentle hand-a caressing hand that ran its fingers through her golden hair and caressed her cheek. He fought his eyes from rolling backward at the pleasure of Buffy’s hands on his body, wanting more to view her lust filled eyes at her actions.

“Whatever is going on… I know as long as I have you… It will somehow be okay. You, you make things okay,” she breathed out as his lips nipped at her ear.

“I love you Buffy,” he said, starting into her beautiful eyes as his hands meandered down her stomach.

Buffy’s breath hitched as his hand waltzed around her body- making her whole body flush in anticipation and excitement. Her body easily relaxed into his touch, still gripped around him just as so happily enjoyed. Angel moved through the fires with her, stoking themselves up to find their release in each other once again. A ballet like theirs could have many such motions and emotions as this… Happiness, elation, joy and delight. Through out the infinite possibilities that fate could throw at them, at the heart of it all- there remained only two eternal lovers. Only the beauty of two souls, moving together.

THE END

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