TITLE: Past Lives.

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Angel and all other characters (except those I make up) are the absolute property of Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, UPN and Warner Bros (If I owned them, the events of Buffy season 4 or most of season 3 wouldn't have occurred).

SUMMARY: Sequel to The Ghost. What was the secret Cordy was hiding?

SPOILERS: The Ghost. Better to have read it beforehand because it will make more sense.

TIMELINE: Three months after The Ghost.

DISTRIBUTION: You want you can have it; just tell me where you put it.

PAIRING: Buffy/Angel, Cordy/Doyle.

CATEGORY: AU, Action and Romance.

Lindsey McDonald stared at the detective report on his desk for the millionth time. It amazed him, but it seemed that the detective he'd hired this time had found her, or so it appeared. Cordelia, his beloved sister. The bitch that owned half of everything that should be solely his and who had the nerve to escape the expensive professional killer he had sent after her. If this detective was correct though, she was hiding out in a town only a few hours away and was stupidly using only their mother's maiden name for protection. All he had to do now was wait for confirmation of her identity and send another killer after his darling sibling. Then and only then would he truly have it all. He was so engrossed in his plotting that he didn't hear his wife enter until she spoke.

"Did the detective really find her?" Willow asked innocently. She adored her sister-in-law and truly wanted her back safely.

Lindsey looked at her and sighed, he couldn't believe that she was silly enough to think that he was searching for Cordelia because he was scared for her safety. "Maybe," he told her, "I need to wait for her identity to be confirmed."

"Don't worry," Willow said smiling, "Cordelia will be back before you know it, and everything will be back the way it was."

"Great," he replied unenthusiastically.

Willow missed his meaning, "Are you coming to bed?"

"You go on," he said giving her a brief smile in return, "I'll be up in a few minutes."

He was relieved when she took his advice; it gave him privacy to file the report in the safe. Without his wife knowing or snooping around. Once he was sure that everything was safely hidden from prying eyes, he headed off to bed knowing that it was creeping closer to the time when he'd be able to get a goodnight's sleep.

Everyone was admiring the bride as she walked down the aisle. Well, everyone but Doyle. He was sure that Buffy looked wonderful and all, but his attention was completely focused on the maid of honour, Cordelia Chase. The woman of his every dream, the woman who had stolen his fickle heart with a distasteful glance, and the one woman in the whole world who had made it abundantly clear how much she despised him. He had absolutely no idea why she seemed to hate him and it tore him up inside that it had been that way since their first meeting almost six months earlier. The ceremony began and he turned his attention back to his best friend's wedding, after all it wouldn't look so hot if the best man spent the ceremony in a dreamland.

It seemed like only a few moments, one second he was looking at Angel, his best buddy and drinking partner, and the next there stood Angel. Happily married man. However Doyle wasn't bitter about losing a friend, he was happy for them. Actually he was envious. Angel had gotten the woman he loved even though she had been a ghost who died seventy-five years earlier. And here he was, standing a million miles away from the love of a real live woman.

The reception was being held at Angel's newly restored inn, but Doyle didn't feel much like partying with the others. All he was doing was staying at the sidelines anticipating his dance with Cordy. It was traditional for the best man and maid of honour to dance, so she couldn't ignore him for once. He was so busy staring at the brunette beauty that he didn't notice Angel standing next to him.

"You do know that a picture would last longer, right? And it probably wouldn't want you dead for staring continually," Angel told him.

Doyle yelped in surprise, "Jeez. Why'd ye have to scare me like that? Can't ye move and make a sound like a normal person?"

"I scared you because I could and I happen to walk normally," Angel replied smiling. "So you still stalking Cordy?"

"I'm not stalking her," Doyle grumbled in his defence. When he noticed the glint of humour in his friend's eye he changed the topic away from his obsession. "How does it feel to be a married man again?"

"A lot better than it did the first time around."

Doyle saw Buffy wave to Angel and motion for him to come to her side. "Ye better go. The old ball and chain is calling," he joked.

Angel patted Doyle on the shoulder, "Cheer up. At least she's stopped calling you Doily."

Doyle nodded as Angel walked off and then it hit him. "Hey, when did she call me that?"

Wesley Wyndham-Price and his assistant Fred were prowling around the outside of the inn. They had been waiting around forever, while Wesley found the best angle at which to photograph the target for visual confirmation by their client.

"Wes," Fred said looking around nervously, "Shouldn't we just find a window and stay there until she moves into position?"

Wesley groaned, why couldn't he think of something simple like that instead of complicated schemes. "I'm looking for the right window," he bluffed hoping Fred would buy it.

"Sure you are," Fred replied totally unconvinced. When Wes was out of hearing range she added, "And I'm the fairy queen, you moron."

Wes went on with his mission, he wanted. No, he needed to make a good impression on Mr. McDonald, his first and only client so far. "Fred," he hissed moving into position, "Where's my camera?"

"Right where you left it."

Wesley just looked confused, "Excuse me?"

"It's hanging around your neck," Fred told him trying desperately not to laugh.

"I knew that," Wesley replied, totally embarrassed. He picked it up and went to take the photo, when Fred stopped him. "What now?" he asked her.

"Remember to take the lens cap off," she reminded him.

"I know," he hissed, taking off the cap. He took several pictures and then turned to Fred, "Now we can go."

"We could've gone an hour ago," Fred muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing," Fred sighed, "Let's get back to LA, so we can get them developed and show them to the client."

"I know," Wesley answered as they left the inn's grounds.

//The warm crisp sand felt all so soothing beneath her tired aching feet as she relaxed in the flimsy hotel deck chair, soaking up the suns rays. She just sat there with her feet in the sand and dreamed about the new Porsche that she was going to buy when she returned home. Or shopping for more clothes with her sister-in-law and assorted other society princesses and then there was the extremely gorgeous cabana boy that the hotel had so thoughtfully assigned to her. Her vacuous nature allowed her to lay there with not a care in the world; in fact she didn't happen to have one. She'd never had, had to work a day in her pampered life; never had to deal with the real world. Even after the *incidents*, she'd been bubbled up into a cocoon and shoved off to this island paradise… to shelter her from badness.

Deciding that she had, had enough sun, surf and sand for one day she got up ready to head back to the hotel for a massage at the talented hands of Pedro; the hotel masseuse. She removed her designer sunglasses and stood up, stretching her toned and tanned body exposing herself to every male on the beach. When she did this she did notice something odd, there was a man standing at the edge of the beach area. It wasn't his standing that made him stand out; it was his dark trench coat… not exactly standard resort beachwear. But she turned her attention back to more pressing matters, bending down to pick up her robe and beach bag she felt something whiz past her back at high speed.

She looked up in time to see the stranger running, as a woman nearby started to scream. Looking over at the woman she didn't notice anything, it was only when she turned her eyes to the ground that she saw it… the body of a man lying there with blood pooling beneath him, staining the sand red. It was then and only then that she began to think for herself. She realised that after everything that had happened and the feeling of the bullet that had pierced that man's chest sailing past, that she began to realise that she may be in real danger… that her life may be at risk. Suddenly the pampered Beverly Hills princess had to face the real world and it was not a pleasant sensation. Not knowing what else to do, she screamed. //

Cordy awoke still screaming, at first not remembering where she was. After a few seconds everything came back to her and she calmed, gained some perspective and was suddenly grateful that she was the only one sleeping in the staff section of the inn with Buffy and Angel on their honeymoon and Giles in England visiting some friends. She also figure that was what had triggered the nightmare, for the first time in almost six months she was alone again and vulnerable. She just had to remember that she was safe at the inn, that it was home and most importantly that no one knew who she really was.

Cordy looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table and noted that it was almost time to get up anyway, so there was no use in even trying to return to sleep. She got up and took a moment to look out of her window that overlooked the inn's gardens and thought about the cosmic joke that fate was playing on her. First it makes her so spoiled, so selfish that she can't tell what's real and what is dangerous and when she finally wises up… well she finds shelter, safety and friends. The type of friends that she'd never had before, one's that actually cared about her and then there was Doyle. He was fates biggest and cruellest joke. It had dropped the badly dressed, somewhat drunken Irishman in her path and he'd gotten to her. Somewhere along the line she had fallen for him, it was the worst possible thing that he happened to be the town's one and only reporter and if he ever found out who she was… She didn't want to even think about what might happen, anyway she had decided right from the start to stay away from him and she intended to do just that.

Keeping her resolution firmly in mind, she headed off to the bathroom to get ready for the day and whatever it may bring.

It was nine o'clock and Wesley Wyndham-Price waited outside the prominent office of Lindsey McDonald with the photographs that he had taken a couple of days earlier. He was terribly nervous, if he'd screwed this up in any way then he and Fred would never get another job ever again in this town. Lindsey McDonald held his future and the futures of his business and his partner in his very hands. Wesley sat back and closed his eyes, trying desperately to calm himself down enough to at least look and sound professional during the meeting, because he sure as hell didn't want to have to go back to the office and tell Fred that he had screwed it up.

"Mr. Wyndham-Price" Lindsey McDonald's secretary appeared next to him. "Mr. McDonald will see you now."

"Thank you" Wesley replied. He stood up, took a deep resolute breath and walked into the lion's den.

When he walked into the office he was amazed at what he saw. The walls were adorned with well-known artworks; the floors covered in Persian rugs and all the furniture in the room seemed to be antiques. Wesley had never seen anything so beautiful and yet intimidating in his life. He walked towards the desk where Lindsey McDonald was seated and took a seat of his own and waited.

A few moments later Lindsey looked up from his work and acknowledged him. "Mr. Wyndham-Price" he greeted, "Do you have my pictures?"

"Yes. Right here" Wesley replied handing Lindsey a sealed envelope.

Lindsey opened it and spilled the contents over his desk. He almost stopped breathing when he saw them; it was definitely his sister… dressed hideously, but definitely her. "Thank you" Lindsey told him, "I will definitely be recommending you to my associates. Your cheque is waiting with my secretary."

"Thank you and good day" Wesley answered standing up. He left the office, stopping briefly to pick up the payment, he wanted to get back and tell Fred what a success they had been.

Lindsey could hardly believe his luck. That stupid moron of a PI had managed to stumble across his sister. Now he could finally move ahead with the plan instead of being stuck in this terrible position, after all what was a little death between siblings. He picked up the phone and dialled a now familiar number.

When the phone was answered he spoke immediately. "I know where she is."

"Where?" replied a craggy indistinguishable voice.

Lindsey sighed, "The Summers Inn. It's in a town called Sunnydale."

"She'll be dead within seventy-two hours."

"I'll believe it when I see it" Lindsey said wryly, "I haven't exactly had the best results from you."

"You will this time."

"I'd better" he said forcefully.

Lindsey hung up and leaned back in his chair smiling, imaging finally being in control… of not only all of the money, but of the business also.

"I hope that smile is for me" a voice from the doorway asked disturbing his wonderful thoughts.

Lindsey looked up and smiled calculatingly at his wife, "Who else?"

Willow entered the office and walked over to him. "Ready for lunch?" she asked kissing him briefly on the lips.

"I have *never* been more ready for anything" he answered.

"So where are we eating?" Willow asked as she helped him on with his jacket.

Lindsey leaned over and whispered a suggestion in his wife's ear that caused her to blush.

"Lindsey, it's the middle of the day" she said embarrassed.

"So?"

Willow looked into his eyes, "Why are you in such a good mood?"

"Nothing really" he told her, "It's just been a very *good* day."

Mid-afternoon the inns phone ringing persistently interrupted Cordelia's routine and figuring that it was just Doyle calling to ask her out again, she wasn't exactly pleasant to the caller.

"What in the *hell* do you want?" she almost yelled down the receiver.

Angel's startled voice came down the line, "Whatever happened to 'Hello, Summers Inn'?"

Cordy was mortified, "I am *so* sorry Angel. I thought that you were Doyle."

"And after receiving greetings like that, he is still interested. Amazing" Angel, replied dryly.

"Did you want something… or were you just calling to bug me?" Cordy asked him trying to cover up her embarrassment.

Angel tried not to laugh, but couldn't hold it in. "I was just checking in" he told her.

"Wait a second… it's your Honeymoon and Buffy let you call to check up on the inn?"

"No, but Buffy's in the bathroom and will never know that I called" he replied. "So how is everything?"

"Everything is great" Cordy assured him confidently.

Angel didn't sound convinced, "Are you sure?"

"Angel, calm down. The inn will not go out of business if you and Buffy spend two weeks to yourselves" Cordy said smiling.

"I know that… we just worked *so* hard…"

Cordy sighed, "I remember."

"Promise that you'll call us if *anything*... and I do mean anything happens" Angel asked her.

"I promise" Cordy answered. "Now hang up before Buffy catches you."

"Bye Cordy."

"Bye" Cordy said hanging up. She replaced the receiver and sighed. She missed them; they were the first true friends that she'd ever had. Cordy took a moment to centre herself and then carried on with her duties.

Doyle was nervous. This was the first time ever that he'd even come close to seeing Cordelia alone. Usually when he was around she surrounded herself with Buffy, Angel and/or Giles and now finally she couldn't hide from him. He climbed out of his rusty old car and headed towards the lobby of the inn. At first when he entered he didn't see her, but hearing a noise from the sitting room he headed off in that direction. That is where he found her, cleaning like there was no tomorrow.

"Good afternoon, Princess" he said, positioning himself in the doorway.

Cordy looked up, saw him standing there and tried to hide the small smile that played upon her lips.

"Mr. Doyle" she acknowledged continuing with her cleaning.

However her demeanour meant nothing to him after he saw the smile. It finally encouraged him to pursue her more ardently. "So… is everything okay here?" he asked looking around.

Cordy froze and then looked up at him her eyes flashing with anger. "What is it with guys? Do you and Angel think I'm *so* stupid that I can't take care of this place?"

Doyle backed up, "Calm down, Princess. I was only making small talk."

Cordy glared at him suspiciously, "So Angel didn't send you here to spy on me?"

"No. I haven't spoken to him since the reception" Doyle answered honestly.

"Then *why* are you here?"

Doyle shuffled his feet and looked embarrassed, "I wanted to see yer."

Cordy rolled her eyes at his schoolboy act, "Why?"

"'Cause I like yer."

Inside of her, Cordy was thrilled... he really liked her. On the outside she showed nothing but disinterest. "So?" she asked moving over to the window to clean it.

Doyle walked up behind her, "So? That's all yer gonna say to me?"

Cordy ignored him and continued with her cleaning.

Doyle was about to walk away from her when he spotted something odd reflected in the glass of the freshly cleaned window. He moved closer to the window, trying to make out what the image could be and then all of a sudden it came to him... it was a rifle. Acting on instinct he threw himself at Cordy, his weight and momentum sending them crashing to the floor.

"Get off of me you freak" Cordy started yelling as he landed on top of her. Suddenly the glass overhead shattered and Cordelia's expression turned from one of annoyance to one of fear. "Wh-what was that?" she asked in a frightened voice.

Doyle stared at her for a second before answering. "I saw someone with a gun and I saved yer" he explained as he reluctantly climbed off of her body.

Cordy paled, "A hunter?"

Her reaction did not go unnoticed by Doyle. "Maybe... but I doubt it" he answered skeptically.

"Why? People *do* hunt" Cordy said forcefully.

"Sure, but not in this area" Doyle told her. "Any ideas on who else it could be?"

"No" came the instant denial, but she couldn't meet Doyle's stare, "Why should I?"

"Why indeed?" Doyle asked himself as she left the room to call the police.

As soon as the police arrived, Cordy shooed him away from the inn. With nothing else to do, he headed back to the paper and his cramped apartment above. He was worried about Cordy, despite her protestations he had a feeling she knew exactly what was going on. And it wasn't some accident or random coincidence. Worried about what was going on he did the only thing he could do... he called Angel.

"Hello" came an angry and breathless vice.

"Hey man" Doyle said, "I'm not interuptin' yer am I?"

Angel swore down the line. "What do you want, Doyle?" he asked impatiently.

"I just thought that yer should know that someone shot out one of the inn's windows."

"WHAT?"

"Don't worry no one was hurt and 'Delia's havin' the window replaced. I just worry about her being alone out there with a bunch of guests. I mean what if somethin' happens?"

Angel was silent for a moment and then he said the magic words, "Doyle. Would you please stay at the inn? Just until Buffy and I get back."

Doyle decided to play with him a bit, "Where would I stay. The inn's full."

"In my-our room."

"Deal" Doyle told him.

"Like I had any doubt you'd do it" Angel replied sarcastically.

Doyle ignored, "See yer."

"Bye" Angel replied quickly hanging up.

Doyle hung up his end and did a happy dance. Then he quickly entered his tiny bedroom to go and pack.

It was two hours later that Doyle managed to pull up in front of the inn. He saw that the glazier was just leaving and Cordy was seeing him off. Smiling he climbed out of his car and headed towards her.

Upon seeing him her face changed from a pleasant smile to a scowl. "What do you want?" she asked nastily. Then she spotted his suitcases, "No way. We're full."

"No problem. Angel said that I could stay in his and Buffy's room" Doyle told her as he walked by.

Cordy just stared and then realisation dawned upon her. "You called him and told him about the window, didn't you?"

"Yep."

"So you then volunteered to move in and keep an eye on me?" Cordy said pissed as hell.

Doyle simply kept on smiling. "No way. I am happy to say that it was all Angel's idea." And then he walked off towards his new room, leaving Cordy standing there in a really bad mood thinking up ways to torture Angel.

Later that night, during a dinner party at his father-in-law's estate, Lindsey was mingling with Los Angeles most important people. He was talking to Holland Manners about a business proposal, when his cell phone rang.

"Excuse me" he aid to Holland and then he answered it, "Hello?"

"Mr. McDonald" a crackly voice said.

Lindsey seethed inwardly with rage. "Don't tell me... you failed again."

"Someone saved her."

"Excuses, excuses" Lindsey replied. "I'm giving you one last chance to get it right, or you'll get to find out if what they say about me is true." Lindsey hung up.

"Well - I'm impressed" Holland told him after listening to Lindsey's end of the conversation. "You inspire fear from employees. Give me a call next week and we'll do lunch."

"You got it" Lindsey said as Holland walked away.

Even though the situation with his sister had gone to hell, at least his career was flourishing. Plus, the bonus of a busy career kept his wife less suspicious and his mistress less demanding. That's if anyone could call Lilah Morgan less of anything. He spotted her across the room, talking to some boring old guy and was about to walk over to join her when Willow and her father approached. Consequently he was stuck all evening playing dutiful and loving husband to Willow, all the time imaging the spectacular death of his meddling sister and shooting steamy glances at Lilah.

Doyle followed Cordelia around the dining room and kitchen as she cleaned up the remnants of the guests meal. He was slowly driving her insane, but he didn't actually seem to care. In a perverse way it made him feel like he was finally being noticed by this beautiful and intelligent woman.

Unfortunately it soon came to end when she asked, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why are *you* following me around?" she demanded.

Doyle looked at her and offered a cheeky smile, "Nothin' else to do."

"Well, find something" she replied showing him that he was really pissing her off.

Doyle raked his eyes down over her shapely body and said, "I can think of something... I just don't think you're up to it."

Cordelia was disgusted, "How about you do something *alone*?" Then she laughed, "Oh wait, you probably do, do that *alone* all the time."

"Only when I think about you, Princess" Doyle replied as he walked away.

Cordy did nothing but stare after his retreating figure and wondered what she'd ever done to deserve to be tortured like this. Why couldn't he just leave her be? So she could hide away safe and sound. Finishing her cleaning she headed to bed and tried to stop thinking that Doyle's was sleeping a measly two doors away.

Early the next morning after Lindsey had left for the office, Willow entered his study and began to snoop. She knew that something was up with him, he was so happy like all of his troubles had disappeared and since he wasn't sharing, she decided she had to find it out on her own. She didn't understand why he was so happy, after all his sister was still missing and Lindsey and Cordelia had always been close - they were two of a kind. She looked through his draws and found absolutely nothing, so she turned her search to his supposedly hidden safe. Inside she found business documents - of no interest to her - and then she found the photographs. They were of Cordelia... a happy Cordelia. It was strange because Cordelia was never happy, she was a naturally unhappy person. It seemed that wherever and whatever her sister-in-law had landed in had at least made her smile and it made Willow glad. A look at the paper accompanying the pictures gave her Cordelia's current address and she figured that this must be why Lindsey was happy, he'd finally found her.

Willow continued to search the safe and found more pictures, when she pulled them out to have a look she found they weren't of Cordelia, but of Lilah Morgan - one of Lindsey's business associates. Although judging by what Lilah was wearing, or not wearing as the case may be, it seemed that she and Lindsey were more than colleagues. Willow carefully placed the items back in the safe and sank down into Lindsey's office chair, her poor heart breaking in two. How was she supposed to be able to compete with Lilah? Lilah was his equal, while she was... it didn't matter what she was. Suddenly an idea struck her, she'd go and see Cordelia. After all Cordelia was always the one she'd turned to for advice before, she'd be able to tell her what to do.

Her mind made up she set off for a place called Sunnydale.

Early the next morning Cordy put Doyle in charge of the inn and headed off into town to run errands. Doyle was fairly certain that any errands could've waited and that she'd left simply to put some distance between them. Since it was a quiet morning he spent time reviewing the stories for the weekend edition and called Jonathan his assistant to make sure everything at the paper was running smoothly. He'd barely hung up when the inn's front door opened and a petite redhead entered.

"Can I help yer?" he asked using his most professional tone, which wasn't much but it was better than nothing.

"I'm looking for Cordelia McDonald?" the redhead said looking around nervously.

When Doyle heard Cordy's name with a different surname his heart stopped beating momentarily, but he decided not to jump to any conclusions.

"McDonald?" he questioned.

"She may be calling herself Cordelia Ch-Chase" the redhead stuttered.

Not wanting to give Cordy away in case of trouble he asked, "And yer would be?"

"Sorry" she exclaimed, "I should introduce myself. I'm Willow McDonald... Cordelia's my sister-in-law."

"Nice to meet yer" he replied, "I'm Doyle. Cordy should be back soon, would yer like to wait in the parlor?"

"Y-yes" she answered.

Doyle smiled and led the young woman to the parlor. All the time he was vowing that he'd get to the bottom of this new found information on the woman who'd captured his heart.

"Where the hell is she?" Lindsey yelled hanging up the phone. He'd been calling the house for hours only to have the maid answer everytime and when he dialled Willow's cell phone he got a message saying she was out of range.

"Calm down," Lilah replied coming up behind him and massaging his tense shoulder muscles. "I'm sure that *little* Willow is fine. She probably went shopping or something."

Lindsey absently patted her hand, "You're probably right."

"Of course I am," Lilah assured him, "She'll be waiting for you when you get home."

Lindsey allowed himself to relax under Lilah's ministrations. "So what's on the agenda for this afternoon?"

"Well," Lilah whispered in his ear, "We could go back to my place and... work together."

Lindsey smiled at the thought, "A good suggestion."

Lilah let go of Lindsey and started to walk out of the office. When she go to the door she turned to face him. "Are you coming?"

"Definitely" Lindsey replied following her out.

When Cordy arrived back at the inn, she came inside through the back door trying to give herself a few more minutes away from Doyle. She unpacked the groceries and went into the lobby to the front desk to check the messages. That's when she heard giggling and Doyle's distinctive Irish lilt coming from inside the parlor and got pissed off, how dare he entertain some other woman when he was supposed to be interested in her. She barged in and received the shock of her life, the woman with Doyle was Willow.

"Cordelia," Willow greeted getting up and hugging her.

"Willow? what are you doing here? How did you find me?" Cordy asked in surprise.

Willow released the hug and looked at her. "Lindsey found you and I missed you... so I..."

Cordy hugged her again, "I missed you too."

Doyle left the room allowing them their privacy, he sat at the front desk but his mind wasn't on work. It was as usual on her.

Cordy let go of her. "So what's really wrong?" she asked Willow.

"What do you mean?"

"Willow, as much as you missed me you wouldn't drive all the way out here for a hug and a sisterly chat" Cordy said shaking her head.

Willow put her head into her hands, "Lindsey's having an affair with Lilah." After she dropped the bombshell she looked and noticed their was no change in expression on Cordelia's face. "You knew?"

"No, but he and Lilah have been on and off for years."

"You never told me" Willow said, "Why didn't you?"

Cordy shook her head again, "Because you wouldn't have believed me... and I was way too self-involved to care."

"No, I wouldn't have," Willow answered honestly. "So any ideas on what I should do?"

"I think it's time you started making decisions on your own" Cordelia told her.

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

Doyle didn't see Cordy for the rest of the day and it was well after he had retired for the night that he heard Willow's car leave. When he heard her enter her own room, he went to go talk to her. He wanted... no he needed to know exactly what was going on with her. He knocked on her door and waited impatiently for her to answer.

"Come on Cordy," he said, "We need to talk."

"I don't think so" she said opening the door slightly.

Doyle pushed his way into her room. "We do need to talk. We can discuss in here or in the hall for all the guest to hear" he told her forcefully.

Cordy sighed, she knew that it was confession time and that there was no way out of it.

"So?" he pushed, "What in hell is goin' on?"

Cordy wouldn't look at him, "It's complicated."

"It always is," he muttered. "I'm not going anywhere, so start tellin' me."

With the lack of furniture in her room Doyle sat on the side of her bed. Cordy shocked him by taking a seat next to him.

"Okay." She took a deep breath and launched in, "My real name is Cordelia Louise McDonald. I w-was the typical rich bitch that you see in the movies... in fact I was worse, if that's possible. All my world revolved around was me and all I cared about was shopping and messing with my brother's life."

"Brother?" Doyle asked.

Cordy nodded, "Lindsey, he's Willow's husband and a total asshole. He's in charge of the family business, even though I am co-owner. Anyway a few months before I turned up here weird stuff started to happen."

Doyle was concerned, "What kinda weird stuff?"

"I'd feel like someone was watching or following me, my tires were slashed... stuff like that."

"What happened next?"

"I told Lindsey and he said it was probably some old boyfriend that I'd pissed off and that calling the cops about it would be a waste of time. Since he was my brother and I was an airhead I listened to him and decided that he was right. So I put it out of my head and headed off on a tropical vacation. A couple of weeks went by with nothing bad happening and I relaxed and did my usual thing."

"What's yer usual thing?" Doyle interrupted.

"Nothing."

"Oh."

"So I was lying on this awesome beach when I spotted this weirdo hanging around. In my typical bimboesque way I ignored the butterflies in my stomach and lay there oblivious. A few moments later I got up to go back to the resort and I felt something whizz past my back..." Cordy paused tears in her eyes. "Then I heard a scream and there was this guy on the sand, but he wasn't moving and th-there was s-so m-much b-blood..."

Doyle not knowing what to do, grasped her hand as a gesture of support and encouragement.

Cordy used her free hand to wipe away the tears that were now flowing down her cheeks. "I started to think, which was a rare thing, and decided that maybe those things weren't accidents after all. So I left the resort and came home. I called Lindsey and he sent a car for me, but on the way to the estate someone tried to force us off the road... I used the cash I had left to rent a car and headed here to Sunnydale."

"Why Sunnydale?"

"My daddy, when he was alive, used to bring us here for vacation. So I hid out in our old vacation house, which is a hole, and eventually I needed money and I couldn't ask Lindsey or use my charge cards or bank account. So I applied for a job here and... you know the rest."

Doyle just stared at her, trying to absorb the wealth of information that had been presented to him. "That's unbelievable" he muttered.

"I'm not lying," Cordy replied taking his comment the wrong way.

"I never said that yer were" Doyle told her, "So the other day..."

"Was a hunter."

Doyle shook his head, "I don't think so, Princess."

"It has to be," she said with desperation tinging her voice.

"Why?"

"Because I don't wanna leave here" she told him. "I like living here. I like having friends who like me for me and not how much money my family grossed the year before. I like earning my own way... I don't even miss shopping... well I don't miss it much. Most of all though, I like being treated like one of the family..."

Doyle smiled at her, "Then I'll make sure that yer are safe here."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Doyle replied leaning in closer and almost kissing her.

Cordy moved away and stood up, "This isn't a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Lots of reasons" she replied.

Doyle stood up and made her look at him, "Give me one."

"I'm not sure that I know who I am anymore... If I ever knew."

Doyle looked deep into her eyes, "I know. You're Cordelia... the first and only woman I have ever loved or ever will love."

She looked at him in surprise, "How could you love me? You don't even know me."

"I see who yer really are."

Cordy kissed him, but for once Doyle was the one to pull away. "Why?"

"I need to know," he answered, "How yer feel about me?"

"You're kidding right? I love you too." At his disbelieving look she added, "I didn't show how I felt because you're a reporter and..."

"I might've done a story on yer."

"Yeah."

"How do yer know I won't write one now?" he asked.

Cordy smiled, "I trust you."

Doyle's reply was to kiss her and they both sank down to the bed, where all discussions ceased... temporarily.

When Lindsey did arrive home, at two o'clock in the morning, he did in fact find Willow waiting for him. With her face red and swollen from crying and her bags packed.

"What in the hell is going on here?" he asked her, hoping that what was thinking was way off base.

Willow looked at him, like she'd never seen him before. "It's simple. I'm leaving you," she replied.

"Why? Honey aren't you happy here?" Lindsey said trying to soothe. "If you want some attention we can get away for a while."

"Unfortunately for you, I am *not* as stupid as you wish I was, "Willow told him. "I know about you and Lilah. I saw those disgusting photos." Pausing for a barely a second before she continued on, "You know what the worst thing is? You could've at least done better than that skanky ho."

Lindsey hadn't expected any of this to happen and had no idea what he could say, this wasn't part of his plan. "Wils..."

"Don't Wils me," she said. "I can't believe that I was so blind to what you are for so long. I also can't believe that I stayed with you and that I probably would've stayed with you if Cordelia..."

Lindsey cut her off, "You saw her?" He suddenly didn't care that Willow was leaving after all he could always con her back later.

"Yes, I saw her" Willow answered annoyed. "Where did you think I saw those pictures. They were in the safe with Cordelia's address."

Lindsey couldn't believe that his nondescript little wife had been snooping through his private things. On top of that she'd used the information she'd stolen to visit his sister, maybe tipping her off that he knew where she was.

"Lindsey?" Willow said his name, annoyed that he'd lost interest in her yet again.

"Is Cordelia returning?"

Willow just stared at the man she once promised her life too. "You really an asshole, Lindsey. I'm leaving you and all you care about is if your sister is coming back. Do you think she cares about you? Do you think I do? Well, you know what jackass... no one cares. Just like you don't care about anyone but yourself." Willow picked up her bags and walked out of the mansion and Lindsey's life.

Lindsey didn't even notice that she was gone, all he was focused on was Cordelia. Obviously that moron he'd hired couldn't do the job. He guessed that old saying was true, 'If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself' and that's exactly what he intended to do.

When Cordelia awoke the next morning she found that Doyle was awake and staring at her. "Morning," she said sleepily.

"Hey," Doyle replied, "How are yer feeling?"

Cordy stared up at him and smiled, "Better than ever."

Doyle was so relieved, he had figured that the second she'd woken up that she would regret all that had happened between them. "So what are we gonna do now?"

"Well..." Cordy said, "I think this is where we get up and make breakfast for the guests."

Doyle scowled as Cordy laughed. "Ha-ha. Yer know I meant about us."

Cordy sighed, "I know. I think we should just take it one day at a time and see where it leads us."

"Okay," Doyle agreed, "As long as yer don't decide to run away."

"No chance," Cordy replied kissing him softly.

It was mid-morning before Lindsey pulled up in front of the inn. One look at it's outside decor and he scowled. It was just so quaint and impoverished looking... how in the hell had his snobby bitch of a sister managed to stay there? He climbed out of his convertible and wandered towards the lobby door. He entered and the first sight that greeted him, which made him nauseous, was his sister kissing some *common* person.

"Am I interrupting something?" he said with distaste.

Cordy and Doyle broke apart and looked at the person who'd spoken. "Lindsey?" Cordy questioned, the surprise was evident in her voice.

"Yer brother?"

"Cordelia," Lindsey greeted. "Who's your little friend?"

Cordy rolled her eyes at her brother's obvious snobbery. "This is Doyle... my boyfriend," she introduced.

"Nice to meet yer," Doyle said extending his hand.

Lindsey ignored the gesture. "Good job, Cordelia. What did you do pick up a homeless person?"

Doyle glared at the bug that his beloved called her brother. He hated him on sight. There was something about the guy that wasn't quite right, like he was putting on an act or something. He had planned to go and check on the paper, but now he was having second thoughts. He whispered to her, "Do yer want me to stay?"

"It's okay," Cordy told him, "I'll see you later."

"All right," Doyle answered reluctantly. "I'll be back soon. Nice to meet yer Lindsey." He gave Cordy a quick kiss and left for work.

After Doyle had left Cordy turned to Lindsey, "So what are you doing here?"

"Actually dear sister," Lindsey said, "There's something important that I needed to tell you."

Doyle was almost at the paper when something made him stop and turn back to the inn. Things that Cordy told him were all clicking into place and he didn't like the picture they were forming. Cordy was all alone at the inn with all the guests away on an organised tour. Actually she wasn't alone, she was with *him*. The one person who had told her not to call the cops in over the incidents, whom had encouraged her to go on the vacation that had come with a free assassination attempt, whom she had called just before her car was run off the road and who had found her now... only a few days after another attempt was made on her life. Doyle sped back towards the inn, praying that he was wrong and that Cordy was okay, or he'd never be able to forgive himself for leaving her there.

Cordelia looked at her brother with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "What did you want to tell me?"

Lindsey looked at her, "It's about those incidents."

Cordy looked at him, "You found out who was doing it?"

"Yes."

"Well, who?" she asked.

Lindsey leaned forward, closer to her. "It was me."

Cordy jerked away from him in shock, "What? Why?"

"Because, my dear little sister," Lindsey said, "You have something that I want."

Cordy started to back away from him, "What is it?"

"Your stock, your share of the money, the businesses that you inherited that aren't tied to the company" Lindsey listed, "And your pretty little neck. I'll take great pleasure in finally being able to snap it."

Lindsey noticed what she was doing and started to move towards her, his fascade starting to drop.

"Lindsey," Cordy said to him desperate to find a way out of this. "You don't wanna do this..."

"Actually, I have wanted to do this since the day you were born, " he replied with a murderous glint entering his eyes.

Deciding that her only options were to fight and/or hide, she ran into the parlor and through to the kitchen. She quickly looked around for something that she could use as a weapon to defend herself when the time came. She grabbed a carving knife as she heard him approach and hid inside the pantry. She didn't like her chances of surviving her brother's attack and she vowed that if she was gonna go down then she was gonna do some damage on the way out. She closed her eyes and pictured Doyle's face an wished that she'd remembered to tell him before he'd left that she loved him.

Doyle entered the inn as quietly as he could. Looking around he saw nothing but could hear the insane ramblings of a mad man. He moved towards the sounds and saw Lindsey walking around with a gun whispering, "Come out sister." Doyle was relived that Cordy was most probably still okay, but he knew he needed to stop him. He snuck up behind Lindsey, pick up a vase and hit Lindsey on the head. Unfortunately for Doyle it didn't knock him out it just pissed him off.

"You too shall die."

Doyle stepped back and put his hands up. "What did I do?"

"You love her."

Before Doyle could reply a bird flew into the window causing a loud bang and just enough of a distraction to allow Doyle to lunge at Lindsey. They wrestled for the gun and unfortunately for Lindsey, Doyle knew how to fight back. He got the gun away from him and used it to hold him in pace as he grabbed the curtain cord and used it to tie Lindsey up.

Cordy was scared she had heard scuffling sounds coming from nearby and assumed that Lindsey was destroying the place looking for her. So when the pantry door flew opened, she lunged forward with the knife, narrowly missing Doyle.

"Watch it Princess," he said pulling her into his arms.

Cordy broke down and cried, allowing Doyle to comfort her. When she'd finally calmed, they called the police to come and collect Lindsey.

Six Months Later:

Doyle just stood there nervously. Today was the day when he finally got everything that he'd ever wanted. The day when Cordelia Chase became his forever. This day would've come a lot sooner, if Cordy hadn't insisted on waiting until the 'Lindsey' matter was over. That had happened less than a month ago, when Lindsey had been sentenced to eighty years jail time with no parol for fifty. He turned his thoughts to something more pleasant when the music started.

He first of all saw Buffy, Cordy's matron of honour, waddling down the isle. Six months pregnant she was walking proof that she and Angel never left the hotel room on their honeymoon. Then his heart stopped beating, as Cordy appeared on Giles' arm. As she walked towards him all of his nerves disappeared and the only thing that existed was her and she was about to become his. Before he knew it the priest was telling him he could now kiss his bride.

"Like anyone had to tell me," he mumbled.

When he finally kissed his bride the whole congregation erupted in applause, the loudest one's being Angel, Buffy and Willow. Doyle smiled at his wife and figured that life just couldn't be any more perfect.

The End