Part 11/?
“That is a most…intriguing…story, Cordelia…”
The English Watcher, stunned by the bombshell dropped on him by the young woman
sitting next to him, remarked as he took off his glasses and cleaned them.
“I told you that you wouldn’t believe me, or that you’d think I was
crazy.” The time traveling seer snorted as she sipped her tea. “So, which is
it—am I a liar or just plain loony?”
“I don’t think you’re either.” Edmund, slowly recovering his
equilibrium, said compassionately as he placed his hand on top of that of the
young lady’s. “But you must admit, what you have just told me is rather
remarkable, to say the least…”
“This coming from a cat who knows vampires and demons exist?” Cordy said
with twinkle in her eye as she slowly relaxed.
“Point taken.” Giles admitted with a wry grin. “But, I’m sure you
understand why I’m more than a little…”
“Wigged?” The lithe brunette teased as she refreshed the Englishman’s tea.
“If by ‘wigged’ you mean flummoxed, then yes…you might say that I’m
rather…’wigged’…by what you’ve just told me.” Edmund confessed as he
sipped his tea. “You must admit, it’s not everyday you meet someone who says
she’s part demon and a Seer and that she comes from over thirty years in the
future…”
“Yeah…well…I guess I don’t blame you.” Cordelia conceded as she stood
up and began to pace. “I was kinda wigged myself when Fred told me that I was
the only one that could do this cause of my being half…” The seer then
sighed before finishing, “…demon. So, I guess I can imagine what you’re
going through.” Then, taking a deep breath and holding it, she asked once
again, “So…you believe me?”
Setting down his cup of tea, the Watcher looked up into the hazel eyes of the
young woman standing before him, “Yes…Cordelia…I do.” Then, picking up a
notepad, he added, “But I do have further questions, and I’d like to enquire
further into your…demon…attributes…if I may.”
Edmund, seeing the reluctant look on his new partner’s face, quickly
explained, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, my dear…but, I need to know
exactly…please forgive me, but I can’t think of a better way of phrasing
it…what you are. In other words, exactly what aspect of the demon do you have?
Also, I have other questions about the time travel magic used by this young
witch—her name was—or will be…” The English Watcher then shook his head
in bemusement as he tried to sort out all the ramifications of time travel
magic, “…Tara, I believe? What sort of witch is she…how powerful…and,
last of all; I need you to tell me everything you can about Angel. You see, the
last mention our records indicate of Angelus was a sighting during the Boxer
Rebellion where he was still in the company of Darla, William the Bloody, and
Drusilla. Now, you tell me that not only is he in Sunnydale, but that his soul
has been restored thanks to a gypsy curse. Needless to say, this is a matter of
some importance.”
“Yeah, I know…” Cordelia nodded her head and then came to a decision.
“Okay, I’ll tell you all I can, but you’re gonna have to promise me
something—that you won’t tell anyone else this until…well, until 2002 at
least. I mean…I don’t want to mess up the future…if you know what I
mean…”
“I understand and agree with your reasons why this should be kept
confidential.” The Englishman said in as reassuring a tone as he could muster.
“What about this? I promise that anything you tell me will remain in a sealed
confidential journal that will only be passed on to my son with the explicit
instructions that it not be opened until the appropriate time. Does this meet
with your approval?”
Remembering fondly the son of the gentleman seated next to her, the Seer smiled
broadly. “Yeah…I know I can trust your son with my life…”
Surprised and astonished by this inadvertent revelation, Edmund asked in a soft
voice, “You know Rupert?”
Embarrassed by her lapse, Cordelia stammered, “Yeah…look, I don’t wanna
talk too much about what happens in the future, but…” Looking the Watcher
straight in the eyes, she then finished, “I guess I can tell you this
much—you’ll be proud of what he becomes…I mean…he’s saved my life and
the lives of my friends more than once—not to mention helping to save the
world…oh…five or six times at least…” Then, flashing an amused grin as
she remembered the night of the band candy, she added with a twinkle in her eye,
“Just don’t be too rough on him in the next few years—don’t worry,
he’ll get it together—just give him time.”
Not quite sure what to say, the elder Giles, his pride in the sort of man his
son would one day grow up to be evident in his features, cleared his throat
before replying with a sincere, “Thank you.” Then, he commenced his gentle,
yet thorough, interrogation of the time traveling Seer.
“Boy…that was some grilling.” Cordelia quipped after Giles had finished
his very detailed questioning.
“I’m sorry about that…but, as I said earlier; I needed to know everything
possible…”
“Yeah, I know.” Cordelia brightened her smile. “So…you got everything
you need?”
“Yes. I believe I do—for now, at least.” Edmund smiled back as he regarded
the lithe brunette seated next to him. “So…you say that once you’ve
accomplished the task set forth by your visions that the spell Tara cast will
bring you back…”
“Yeah…just like a boomerang.” Cordy grinned, then, seeing their teacups
empty, offered, “Here…I’ll make us some more tea and we can talk some more
if you want…”
But, before the Englishman could answer one way or the other, the pair heard
laughter and the sound of the door opening. Cordelia then smiled warmly as she
heard her roommate’s cheery voice. “Hey, Cordy!” Then, seeing the
Englishman sitting on the couch, Felicia flashed a wicked grin as she appraised
the roguishly handsome, yet distinguished looking Watcher, “So…who’s the
cool cat?”
Smiling nervously, Cordelia answered, “Ummm…this is Edmund, that friend of
my family’s from London I told you I had to pick up today.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The diffident Englishman said as he shook
Felicia’s hand. Then, turning to Cordelia, he said, “I’m afraid I must be
leaving now, Cordelia…we shall talk more later—perhaps then you can
introduce me to Angel…”
“If you wanna meet Angel, Edmund…” Felicia interjected, “Then stick
around. We’re all going to the Tom Jones concert tonight and he’s Cordy’s
date. He should be here by the time we get dressed.” The strawberry blonde
then flashed a wicked grin at her roommate as she held up a bag from the Mod
Shoppe. “Oh, by the way Cordy…I got that dress for you—and the other stuff
we talked about. And Donny said he was gonna bring his camera.” She smirked as
she handed the bag to her roommate and then, glancing down at the Englishman,
flashed a triumphant grin. “Hey! I gotta great idea…Edmund can take a
picture of all of us and then we can get Donny to take one with just Edmund and
you!” Then, turning towards the English Watcher, Felicia grinned once again.
“Just make yourself at home, Edmund, and turn on the TV—Ed Sullivan oughta
be coming on pretty soon. Donny and Angel’ll be here in a little while and it
shouldn’t take us too long to get changed.”
Sighing and shaking her head, Cordy managed an embarrassed grin. “Might as
well stick around, Edmund—my roomie can get awful stubborn sometimes.”
“Better believe it!” Felicia smiled as she breezed into the bathroom,
calling back, “I got first dibs on the shower!”
***********
Much later, as Edmund sat watching Jack Benny on the Ed Sullivan Show, chuckling
with amusement at how the gifted comedian had turned Ed into his straight man,
he heard the sound of rapping on the door, soon followed by Felicia coming out
of her bedroom wearing, to the proper Englishman’s sensibilities, a rather
daring silver mini with a diamond cut out exposing her navel and no small
portion of her belly. Putting on her earrings, large white triangles dangling
from silver chains, she rushed towards the door. “Coming!” Opening the door,
the young strawberry blonde squealed as her boyfriend gathered her into his arms
for a hug. “Donny!”
“Hey, babe!” Donny smiled as he stole a quick kiss. “Looking groovy!”
“You too.” Felicia grinned back as she took in the young man’s stylish
double breasted sports coat and tie. “Cordy’ll be out in a minute—I think
she’s a little shy…” Then, in a teasing voice, she called out to her
reticent roommate. “Come on, Cordy! Donny’s here! We gotta hurry or we’re
gonna miss the opening act!”
“Okay…Okay…Give me a few minutes!” Cordelia replied and then asked,
“Has Angel showed up yet?”
“Not yet, but he’s still got a few minutes.” Felicia called back as she
winked knowingly at her boyfriend and the English Watcher.
Angel had in fact just arrived at the door to their apartment just then. As he
stood in front of the wooden door, the cursed vampire once again shook his head
in disbelief—first at how thoroughly the half demon woman that he had just met
had so easily bent him to her will, and second that a small part of him was
actually enjoying it! Squaring his shoulders as he resigned himself to his fate,
he knocked on the door.
Opening the door, Felicia immediately recognized Angel from their meeting at the
Bronze. “Hey, Angel!” The lovely strawberry blonde smiled winningly as she
took in the muscular form of the vampire. ““We were just wondering when
you’d make the scene—come on in! Cordy’ll be out in just a minute!” As
he entered the apartment, Felicia continued with the introductions. “You know
Donny…” She then motioned towards the Englishman, who realizing that someone
else had entered the apartment, had stood up. “And this is Cordy’s friend
from England…Edmund…” She then turned her head towards the distinguished
Watcher “Right?”
Edmund, nodding his head, gave the ensouled vampire a cautious look.
‘So…this is the famous Angelus…the Scourge of Europe…’ The Watcher
thought as he nodded his head in the direction of Angel. “Angel...” The
Englishman barely acknowledged stiffly, barely stopping himself from adding the
‘us’.
The cursed vampire, realizing immediately that the man standing before him had
gone to a heightened state of alert, replied in as quiet and unthreatening a
tone as he could muster, “Edmund.”
“Cordelia has told me a great deal about you.” The Watcher said
meaningfully, maintaining his cautious demeanor as he regarded the ensouled
vampire standing only a few feet in front of him with a mixture of fascination
and fear.
“She has?” Angel, maintaining his calm exterior, asked as his eyes scanned
the room and the occupants within it.
“Oh, yes.” Edmund replied, “She told me everything.”
Felicia, sensing the growing tension between the two men, moved quickly to break
the ice, “Hey Cordy! You coming out or not?”
“All right…all right already!” The seer answered back as she opened the
bedroom door. “Here I am!” She pronounced as she strode with as much
confidence as she could muster into the room, smiling with smug satisfaction as
she saw all three men’s jaws drop upon seeing her in her see-through mini.
“All I gotta say, Cordy is…WOW!” Donny exclaimed as Felicia playfully
jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.
“Ah…ahem…yes…quite…” Edmund stammered as he tried, not completely
successfully, to avert his eyes from the young seer’s shapely breasts, her
nipples barely visible beneath a translucent horizontal stripe when the light
hit just so, her white lace panties clearly visible beneath the transparent
dress.
As Angel drank in the loveliness of the woman standing before him, he silently
gave thanks to the God that he had long ago abandoned for the fact the was
unable to blush, otherwise, he admitted to himself, his face would have been as
crimson as that of the Englishman standing next to him.
Cordelia, seeing her future partner’s discomfort, flashed an amused smile as
she teased. “So…Angel…you like?”
“Ummm…” The vampire, at a loss for words as his eyes strayed to
Cordelia’s breasts, stammered, “Uhhh…yeah…you look…”
“Outta sight.” Donny interjected, coming to the rescue of his fellow male.
“Yeah.” Angel quickly added, then muttered a whispered, “Thank you” to
the young man next to him.
“Don’t mention it, man.” Donny whispered back, and then flashing a quick
leer, took out his camera. “Ok, chicks and cats…picture time!”
“Hold it!” Cordelia then ordered with a wicked grin. “First, Angel’s
gotta get changed!” She said with a wink.
“Changed?” The cursed vampire, not liking where this was going, protested as
his future seer arched an eyebrow.
“Yep.” The lithe brunette confirmed. “Changed. I’m wearing this…”
She then pirouetted, giving everyone in the room a good view of her charms
beneath the see-through mini, “…cause you couldn’t even make it to the
Bronze on time…”
“I explained why…” Angel stammered weakly, but Cordelia quickly cut him
off.
“I don’t care if LBJ came by to personally draft you!” The Seer jibed,
much to the amusement of everyone else in the room, including Edmund, who
cracked a slight smile of his own at the vampire’s obvious discomfiture. “No
one…I mean NO…ONE…ever…EVER…stands me up—and gets away with it! You
got that buster?”
Flashing a self-satisfied grin as the wayward vampire weakly nodded his head,
Cordy commanded, pointing towards her bedroom. “Now, get in there and get
changed. Your clothes are all laid out on the bed waiting for you. Then,
smirking, she added, “Me and Licia chose ‘em just for you.”
Several minutes later, a different, and obviously uncomfortable, Angel emerged
from the bedroom wearing a peach Nehru jacket with gold chains and love beads
around his neck, white slacks, black shoes, and peach tinted Ben Franklin style
sunglasses.
As both of the ladies took their time appraising him, the cursed vampire shifted
nervously. Seeing his discomfort, Cordelia managed a warm smile. “You look
groovy, Angel.” She said as she grazed the arm of his jacket.
"Yeah, Angel." Felicia added. “You look outtasight.” She then
turned towards the Englishman and smiled broadly, “Edmund? Think we can get
you to take a pic of all of us?”
“But of course.” The Watcher, taking the camera, replied as Felicia herded
everyone together—Angel and Donny in the center, their arms around the waists
of their dates for the evening. “Very good then…what is it you Americans are
supposed say at times like this…Cheese?” Then, as everyone smiled he took
their picture, the flash temporarily blinding everyone.
“Great!” Felicia smiled. “Now…how’s about one of me and my roomie?”
She said as Cordy and the lovely strawberry blonde posed together in an
imitation of a Vogue layout that they had just seen. “All right!” Felicia
grinned. “Angel—it’s yours and Cordy’s turn…then me and Donny…and
then Donny you take Cordy and Edmund’s picture, ‘kay?”
Finally, after the roll of film in the camera had been exhausted, Donny grinned.
“That’s it! Then looking at his watch, he added, “If we’re gonna make it
to the concert, we better blow this pad now!”
“Yes…” Edmund added, “I must be going too.” Then, turning towards
Cordelia, he smiled as he took her hand. “I’ll look into what we discussed
and get back with you tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” Cordy grinned back as she kissed the diffident, and slightly
embarrassed, Watcher on the cheek.
“Ok, cats!” Donny exclaimed, “Let’s split!”
TBC...