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by Chris Kenworthy (scoobyhq@fcmail.com)
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer, I don't own any of these characters, if they came from the show 'Buffy the vampire Slayer.'
Yes, that's right, *she* pulled up. But, you may protest, it was my car, (well, my uncle Rory's car, but mine through lease.) I'd been driving earlier. So why had that changed?
"How's your ankle, sweetie?" Cordy said, looking over at my face, lit by the pale streetlamp.
"I'll be okay," I told her. "You'd better go inside."
"No, we'd better go," Cor corrected me. "I'm a cheerleader, remember? I know a serious sprain when I see one. You should definitely still not drive with that foot - or try to sneak into your house alone on it."
"And sneaking into your house is that much better?" I asked. "I mean, yes, physically I would very much appreciate your support and assistance in getting anywhere, Cordelia my dear. But I don't think your house is a good place for us to be, at night. What would happen if your parents caught me?"
"Little chance of that," she scoffed. "Come on, it's settled. I'm taking you in." And she got out of the car, taking the keys with her, and came around to my side of the vehicle, helping me get out and walk down the sidewalk without putting any more pressure than I could help on my wounded foot.
I decided to try for one more question as we stopped to take a rest before tackling the stairs together. "What do you mean, little chance of your parents catching me??"
"Well, nobody's around," Cordy commented. "Janet's in the final stage now, which apparently, for her, includes taking an extended vacation in Acapulco. Dad's throwing himself into his work, so he'll be at the office all night and for half of the weekend. And Leila's minding her own business."
Huh?? But suddenly these names started to come back to me. Cordelia liked to pretend that she had a perfect family, mom and dad still together, with anyone where she thought she'd get more mileage out of that than the truth, (including Buffy, Willow, and Giles,) but the truth was somewhat different. Cordelia's real mother had left them, and then died, when she was only a baby, and her father had remarried several times. The one stepmother Cordelia really liked and thought of as her own mom, Carol, she never saw anymore - Carol and her own daughter lived in another city - I'm not quite sure which one. Leila was stepmother number two, and Janet the current one. Except...
"Final stage?" I muttered as we started up the stairs. "Final stage of what??"
"Of being married to my dad, of course," Cordy answered, confirming my suspicions. "I say they'll be signing final divorce papers before the millenium hits."
Right. I didn't raise any more questions, and Cordy helped my through the front doors and to, very thankfully, crash on the couch. As I lay there, she very delicately undid my right shoe, slipped it carefully off, then took my sock off and rolled up the pantleg. "Yeah, definitely sprained," she confirmed. "I told you that the tango wasn't for beginners, though I must admit I didn't think you'd flub it quite this badly."
"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence," I managed to groan through the couch cushion.
"There isn't much swelling," she continued, "which is good. It might be an idea to chill the ankle down anyways, though. What do you think, Xander, should I put some ice on it??"
"Hmm?" I had to think about that for a second. "I dunno. It sounds like a good idea on one level, but I don't want to have to deal with something bulky and changing it before it starts to drip. I'm tired."
"Oh, good point - I'm pretty wiped too," she agreed, a pensive look on her face. Then... "Of course!! I've got just the thing." She took off, and returned with what looked like a blue shammy.
"What's that?" I had to ask.
"It's a chill-cloth," she explained. "We keep it in the freezer, and it's specially designed to keep the cold in for injuries and stuff. No bulk, no dripping." And she started to wrap it around my foot and ankle. "Just relief."
"Ahh. Yeah, that's nice." I lay there, and relaxed a bit more, and I might even have dozed off a little. But I do remember waking up when I heard footsteps approaching, and looking up again. It was Cordelia, coming back into the living room, though I hadn't remembered her leaving. She was wearing sleepwear, or lingerie - a top that was pretty much just a boostier, em, I mean bustier, and silk shorts. I remember being very surprised, at what she was wearing, that she was here wearing it, but I was somehow too tired to say anything at all.
Then she sat down on the couch, and stretched out so we were sharing it side-by-side, pulled a blanket around us, and put her arms around me. I've never felt so safe and comfortable as I did in that moment, and I drifted off to sleep again.
I'm not sure if I dreamed or not. I think I did - I have a vague impression of a creature that was half human, and half dragon... and a golden-haired lady trapped in a tower, and Cordelia, in a medieval dress, kissing me. But I couldn't tell you what the sequence of events was, if it even was a real dream and not some product of the imagination halfway in the waking world.
But the next thing I remember clearly... is a telephone ringing. It rang about five times, then stopped, presumably clicking over to the Chases' voice mail. About twenty seconds later it started again.
By this point I was lying on my back on the couch, my head half propped up on a big pile of cushions, and Cordy was nestled between myself and the back of the couch, sleeping sideways, my left arm reaching around her shoulders in a delightful cuddle. She was still sleeping soundly, and I had figured out by this point that the cordless telephone handset was on the coffee table just opposite the couch. So, not wanting the ringing to wake her up too, I reached out my arm as far as it would go and just managed to grab the thing.
Once it was well into my personal space, I managed to hit the TALK button with the same hand I was holding it with. "Hello?"
"Xander??" There was a pregnant pause. "I... see."
Oops - misunderstanding why I was here, at the Chase house at... what time of the morning was it, anyways? But for right now, defending Cordy's honor - or mine, for that matter - could wait. Who was I talking to, first? "Who is this??" A second after the words were out of my mouth, I realized that I could identify the voice that had spoken...
"Janelle," she confirmed. "Well, I'm glad I've reached you. Is Cordelia there too?"
"Um, yes, but... kind of sleeping at the moment," I said, my embarassment level at 9.0... And just at that moment Cordy stretched, yawned loudly, opened up her eyes and looked at me, mouthing the words 'who is it?' "Or maybe not so much sleeping," I corrected myself for Janelle's benefit.
"Okay. Can you guys be over at the apartment soon?" Janelle asked. I could tell a slight trace of panic in her voice, and realized that now was not the time to question why.
"Sure." What time was it? Were we supposed to be at school... no, it was friday night last night, which kinda indicated no school for a while. And the antique clock on the other side of the living room indicated only - seven oh-five. "Give us... um, maybe half an hour??"
"We'll be waiting."
Now, I really wanted to ask who 'we' was, but again decided not to ask. "See you then." I hung up the phone, placed it back on the living room, and glanced over at Cordelia, who was looking at me very impatiently by now. Oops. "Um, that was Janelle - she needs to see us over at her mom's place again."
Cordy's eyes widened in surprise. "Did you even think of telling her that you're wounded and can't go rushing around to and fro??"
Oh, right. "The ankle??" I wiggled it experimentally. "All better, now. I guess I can thank the best of care and company, huh?" Actually, that was a bit of an exaggeration. The joint seemed strong enough, but still rather stiff. That would get me to the Lindley's, though, wouldn't it? Even if I had to limp a little bit.
"I don't like this," Cordelia grumped, stretching. Taking an unspoken cue, I shifted myself so I was sitting up on the couch instead of lying on it, scooching over so that Cordy could do the same when she wanted. "Every time Janelle says jump, you do everything but ask how high." She grinned self-deprecatingly. "If that's anybody's role in your life now, it's mine!" A chuckle revealed that this was actually not meant quite seriously.
"I know that," I said softly. "But Janelle sounded really upset, and I think this is important. As in Slayer business - so it's not just Janelle I'm worried about, but Buffy, the rest of my friends... even you and I could be in danger already." I let that sink in for just a second. "Now, do you want us to go or not? I'll let it be your call."
Cordy groaned vehemently. "Fine, mister. Put it in a way that I can hardly refuse like that." She stood up. "Well, if we're gonna be over there in half an hour, we'll have to skip breakfast - you hop into the downstairs shower while I see if I can find some clothes for you." Oh, right, I was still in my dating duds - would seem very weird to show up at Miranda's this morning in them. "Daddy's only a little bigger than you are - the only question is whether he still has anything casual in his closet." I stood up, carefully. "And if you *literally* have to hop over to the shower," she warned me, "I'm calling Janelle and telling her that you're too hurt to come over."
"You don't know the number," I taunted her as I walked out of the living room in traditional fashion.
"Star six nine," she replied. That shut me up.
Well, I enjoyed a quick and vigorous hot shower, and Cordelia did indeed have clothes waiting for me by the time I had finished - blue jeans, a navy t-shirt, boxer shorts, midnight blue socks, sneakers, and a stylish leather belt. That's Cordelia for you, as wardrobe-conscious as ever.
Actually, the clothes were just waiting in the downstairs bathroom, and as I dressed I could hear that water was still running - probably Cordy, showering upstairs. Damn, now there's an image I half wished I could get out of my head - or did I really? Waking up with her body pressed so closely against mine... well, to say I was feeling stimulated would be an understatement.
But I managed to calm myself down while dressing and waiting for Cordelia to dress and come back downstairs. Thinking about slimey and smelly demons can really help with problems like that. Cordy showed up looking as enticing as always, in jeans of her own, (nice and tight ones, probably designer,) brown sandals with just a hint of a heel to them, and a light blue tank top that managed to seem completely decent while showing off the perfect glimpse of her tits. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she looked so bewitching that I couldn't resist stealing another tender kiss.
She smiled. "Thanks. Now come on, we're running late." I refrained from pointing out that I'd been ready to leave for five minutes and followed her as she led me out into the garage, rather than out into the street where the Bel Air was presumably waiting for us. She grabbed some keys, and a purse to put them in, and indicated the strawberry red convertible. I shrugged and went over to get in.
We made it over to Miranda and Janelle's building twenty-nine minutes from when I had finished taking the call from her. I waited for my heart to slow down a little. Driving with Cordy can be a hair-raising experience at the best of times, (though she's gotten a little better occasionally - like last night.) When she's in a hurry, though - Whoo, watch out. I tried to hide my limp as I headed in to the lobby and buzzed up.
"Xander??" It was Janelle's voice again.
"And Cordelia. Can we..." The buzz of the door opening came before I could even finish asking. As we stepped into their apartment on the third floor, I could see that Buffy, Faith, Giles, Willow, and Oz are all sitting in the living room. Janelle was halfway to the door, meaning to open it for us if we hadn't just barged in, I guess. But...
"Where's Miranda?" Cordy asked suddenly.
"That's... that's the problem," Janelle managed to choke out. "She didn't come home last night. As far as we can tell, the last time she was seen was storming out of the Bronze, after I intentionally 'bumped' her into Rupert and you guys." The young watcher was trying, without much success, to hold back tears.
"Uh-oh," I muttered. Buffy, Giles, and Willow silently nodded.
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