Chapter Ten

"Oh, yuck. Thank you Angel, SO much." Cordelia muttered, wincing at the sewage on her shoes. "Goodbye, catsuit."

Buffy rolled her eyes, but her face immediately changed at the smell. "Eww. How does he do this all the time?"

"What haven't you had to burn his clothes from time to time?" Cordelia asked, a smile on her face.

Buffy gave a short burst of laughter as they began to tip toe around the more repulsive sewage. "About three."

"I know, there was this one time, when…." She trailed off when she saw the smiles float on their faces. "Okay, no need to bond."

"Agreed." Buffy said, looking away.

Cordelia sighed, running a hand through her hair as she sniffed. "Oh, God this smells. He is SO going to get this."

"Damn straight. What that bastard did to have TWO of us so hung up on him…."

Cordelia stopped, her head cocked and her face even as she studied Buffy. "You still love him, don't you Buffy? I mean, as much as you did before."

There was no animosity in the voice, and Buffy had to look at her twice before she sighed, her voice curiously weak.

"I love him, Cordelia. You don't know how much."

Cordelia shrugged. "I have a rough idea."

"Oh?"

"Ten years of it." Was the easy response.

"Ten years." Buffy repeated, and sighed. "Damn, Cordy, how on earth can I compete with ten years?"

Cordelia shot her a look. "It's not about competing, Buffy, get that through that thick skull of yours." There was silence, then as the woman continued to walk, more quickly now. "We used to be friends Buffy."

Buffy snorted. "I don't think so."

"I did."

That was the end of the conversation, as they neared the center of the tunnels, both woman became quiet, the only sound the dripping of the water.

"Okay, who the hell ordered anchovies?" Doyle gave the group a murderous glare as his nose wrinkled in disgust at the fishy smelling pizza in front of him.

Oz took the slice away from him. "Prissy likes anchovies, it's one of the only real foods she'll eat."

"Prissy is disgusting." He said, reaching for another box. Priscilla stared at him from Oz's lap. He felt a smile curl to his face at her bright eyes. "Didja hear me? You're disgusting." His tone was lighter now, affectionate, and she giggled, pointing back at him.

"YOU'RE disgusting!"

"Yeah, well, just don't let me sneeze, alright?"

She giggled again, and he picked up a fish free slice, throwing it on a plate and depositing it next to a book that Xander had open. Xander grabbed it, stuffing it into his mouth with one bite.

Doyle watched him for a second and turned to Priscilla. "Okay, forget you. HE'S disgusting."

"Got it!" Xander yelped, forcing Oz and Doyle to scramble to him. "Research boy went and struck gold again! I think." Was his after thought.

Willow came from the bedroom, depositing Ruppy on Oz's lap as Xander handed her the spell.

"Ruppy, no don't eat the book. Daddy needs that." Oz said quickly, taking the old text away from the child.

Willow scanned the pages, and clucked softly, her face lost in thought.

"Well?" Doyle asked impatiently, as Xander and Oz both looked at her beseechingly.

"I… I'm not sure."

Oz and Xander exchanged looks. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know if it'll work. This isn't the exact cure."

"Well it's the closest thing we got to one." Doyle snapped, walking quickly to the phone and dialing.

The phone rang again, and Cordelia quickly answered it, afraid that it might have been heard. "yes?!" She hissed.

"Cordelia! It's Doyle."

"What is it?" She whispered fiercely.

"You alright?"

"Yes, what do you want?"

"Xander here found something. You know the Druid?'

"You mean the one we might lose because Doyle's calling me on the phone?"

"Right, that one. You need his blood, Princess. A pint or so should do it, but the more the better."

Cordelia's face froze. "His blood will save Angel?"

"That's the basic idea, ya." Buffy leaned forwad, her ear straining to hear the conversation.

"Okay, got it. Bye." She snapped the phone closed, and looked at Buffy. "We need the druid's blood. At least a pint, to give to Angel."

Buffy nodded her face calm and icy as she responded. "Like Faith."

Cordelia swallowed. "Like that bitch Faith."

Buffy gave her a look, and sighed. "Don't worry, before I'm through with him, Angel'll have all of it."

Cordelia watched her for a moment, and nodded. "Thank God for little-miss-likes-to-fight."

"So you think it could work?"

Willow bit her lip, but slowly nodded. Xander felt himself burst into a smile of relief, patting Oz quickly. "Great. Good. Good."

Willow gazed at him for a moment. "You seem… happy."

Xander sighed. "I am. The closer we finish this, the closer me and Cordy are to getting out of here."

Doyle looked up, and not saying a word, he stormed into the other room.

Oz got up, balancing both children as he walked to the bedroom.

Willow's face was calm, but intense as she looked at Xander.

"Xander." She began slowly. "I know you probably don't want to hear this-"

His smile faltered, and he shook his head. "I don't." He said gruffly.

"Xander how can you want to be second best?!" Willow got up, staring at his back when he stopped. "That's not like you."

He froze, and after a second, his back deflated. "I don't know what me is anymore."

Willow sighed, walking over to him, turning him toward her.

"Oh, Xander." She whispered, tears in her eyes. "My beautiful Xander. What happened to you?"

He looked away, his eyes suspiciously moist. "I don't know."

She swallowed, shaking her head slowly. "Why are you doing this to yourself, Xander? You were stronger than that."

"No, the rest of you were stronger than that. I was always…. I was always just… there."

"You were what held us together."

"I was what tore us apart." Xander shot back. "It was my fault I never figured out how you felt for me, and it was my fault that I realized it too late, and it was my fault that I loved Cordy and loved you and screwed every one up."

"Xander, it was high school. We were all messed up then."

"We still are." Oz said, coming back into the room. Willow looked at him, then at Xander.

Xander looked at the couple, and leaned against the wall, his throat full. "She dreams about him, you know. And she cries. Sometimes, at night. I hear it. She laughs, she says his name. In her sleep. She doesn't like soap operas. And she gets misty eyed when she looks at ice cream, and I can't even MENTION musicals-" He shook his head. "I couldn't make her happy. I loved her, I love her, but I can't…. I can't make her happy, no matter now much she loves me." Swallowing, he continued. "Trying to hold on the way I did….made me wonder if I really loved her, or the idea of her."

"And?" Willow pressed softly.

"And if I really loved her, I wouldn't make her stay with someone if she loved someone else, right? I'd want what was best for her."

"Angel?"

"No, me." He said quickly, a small smile forming on his lips. "But she loves Angel. She's happy with him. Nothing is gonna change that. And as much as I want to kill him, as much as I hate him, that makes all the difference."

Willow walked forward, and slid her arms around him. For a second he stiffened, and then gave in, crushing her to him in a desperate need for comfort. Oz cocked his head, watching the scene, and closed his eyes in sympathy, before walking back into the bedroom.

"They don't ever learn, do they?" Buffy whispered to Cordelia from their hidden position. Cordelia merely raised an eyebrow at the scene, the druid and three vampires around a circle, the smell of the sewage mingling with the scent of incense to create a disgusting combination.

"That's him?" She asked quickly. Buffy nodded.

"Yeah, that's him."

Cordelia looked at her. "You want to do the honors?"

"With pleasure." Cordelia passed her the bottle, and Buffy slipped it into her inside pocket.

"Okay, here I go, the baitgirl." And with that Cordelia stood up, smiling her most charming smile.

"Hey, guys!" The druid's head lurched up, along with the vampires, who all stared at Cordelia, who only smiled sunnily. "I got lost, here … in the sewers. Do you realize how dark it is in here? God, you guys SO need some new decoration in here."

She walked up the group, and winced when she looked into the druid's immobile face. "Oh, eww. Who gave you THAT?"

The druid cocked an eyebrow, sniffing the air. "You smell of him."

"Of him? Oh, Angel." Cordelia sniffed at her wrist. "Actually, it's the new CK fragrance, but thank god, because YOU all smell gross. Whew." She waved at the air in front of them. "God, do you ever take showers?"

One of them began to growl, Cordelia swallowed, wondering why they didn't just attack already. She just needed to stir them up more. The vampires began to advance, leaving the druid behind, and unarmed.

That's right, dummies. Come on you big, ugly, beasties dogs, Follow Cordy. Come on.

She backed up, still chattering endlessly. "You know? I have some lotion that will really work for that thing on your face. You know that thing? That thing?" She pointed as close as she dared to the fangs of the particularly ugly one. "What, am I the only one that noticed that thing?" One snapped and lunged, two seconds later, she had a stake buried into his chest.

"I guess not." She ducked when another ran to her. "Anytime, Buffy!"

"Right here, Cor." Buffy flipped over their heads, landing in front of the druid.

"Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Buffy, the vampire Slayer."

"We're NOT friends, By the way." Cordelia added as she tripped another vampire.

"You're killing Angel." Buffy said menacingly, advancing on the druid, who looked near panic as Cordelia dusted a second vampire, leaving only one. "So I'm going to kill you."

"Oh, you just HAD to piss her off, didn't you?" Cordelia groaned, after swinging around and backhanding his minion in the face. "Boy," She teased furiously. "You're about to get your ASS kicked."

Buffy smiled, and proceeded to do just that, taking the druid head on while Cordelia took down the vampire that was attempting to protect him.

The Druid fell easily, and Buffy pulled out a large knife. Cordelia winced as she watched Buffy cut his arm. "Eww." The ewwe quckly became a groan when the vampire kicked her in the face, throwing her up against the wall.

Buffy looked up from her collecting. "Cordy!" She turned quickly, to see Cordelia kick him back, the heel of her boot digging into his throat.

"Asshole." She bit, driving a stake into his chest. After that, she promptly fell to her knees.

There was a burst of smoke and Buffy coughed, grabbing the half filled bottle and crawling to her.

"Cordy, you alright?" Cordelia grimaced in pain, but nodded.

"I'm okay. I just, there was a nail or something in the wall." She pointed to a gash on her stomach. "God, what is it with these damn little injuries and my stomach?" She looked up as the smoke cleared. "He's gone."

Buffy looked around, and cursed. "Damn. We lost him."

"Buffy did you get the blood?"

Buffy held up a half filled bottle. "Hope it's enough."

Cordelia winced but nodded. "It has to be, come on, help me up, we have to get back."

Buffy nodded, wrapping her arms around her former rival and half running half walking, they left the sewers