Walking In My Shoes (33/?)(NC-17)

[xlivvielockex]

Title: Walking In My Shoes (33/?)
Author: Kelly and Mike (collaborative writing team)
Posted: 11/29/06
Rating: Chapters range from PG to NC-17
Chapter: Chapter Thirty-Three rated NC-17
Email: jjsoapchat AT yahoo DOT com
Content: Cute stuff, action, mostly fluff
Scenes include: Cordelia, Angel
Summary: Written for a challenge proposed on the Stranger Things message board. Challenge By rousedower. An AU/TT Challenge: Angel goes to another dimension, hence AU, somehow. And in this dimension he is married to Cordy and they have kids. But something happened to the other Angel (he's missing or dead), so there's mad tension and what not between this Angel and AU!Cordy. She knows he's not her Angel, but the kids (a boy and girl) are pretty young and think he's their father. I imagine a scene where their little daughter asks him to read her a bedtime story/tuck her in with Cordy trying to explain to her that he's not her father (really), and he does it.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: AO, ST, FSB, LJ. Whoever wants it, can have it, just credit
Notes: Cast List: Kelly writes for Cordelia, Gunn, Lorne, Lillian, Kat, Illyria/Fred, Lilah, Eve, Faith, Gwen, Harmony, Vail, random shop owners/demons. Mike writes for Angel(us), Connor, Wes, Ian, random filler chars.
Feedback: Yes, please. Tell us how we are doing!
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Cordelia was the first to wake. The sun had risen and was coming through the front windows of the cabin. She got up slowly, her entire body aching. She felt like she had been hit with a truck. But she was hungry, like she could eat about a dozen Lumberjack specials at the lodge restaurant. It took her a moment before the fog of sleep cleared enough for her to check on Angel. She saw him, laying naked to her. Her hand shot out and pressed to his neck. If he didn't have a pulse, felt cold, she had failed and better get to running.

He felt warm to her touch and she could feel a strong pulse as his heart beat. He had color to his flesh, not a lot by normal standards, but he didn't have the color of a corpse.

She felt that pulse and that heat. She could see the color to his skin. She moved her hands down to make sure that he was real. She used her whole body to turn him over onto his back. She wanted to see if he was breathing. She knew Angelus was smart and she wouldn't put it past him to pull a trick with makeup and special effects. "Angel? Angel?"

Angel heard her call; it was like she was at the far end of a tunnel. His heavy brow knitted together slightly as he was trying to wake. Then suddenly, with a start, his eyes opened and he was sitting up, eyes wide. "CORDY!"

When he jolted awake, it was enough to send her back. She was glad there were some pillows behind her to break her fall. She blew a strand of hair out of her face. "I am right here, dork. You don't have to yell!"

Looking at her he still had that dumbfounded look. "What happened," he said. He felt something warm on his hand and looked down; sunlight coming in the window hit his hand. He pulled back quickly feeling that heat then he frowned. The heat wasn't the dangerous burning before bursting into flames kind. It was just warmth.

"I'm...I'm breathing," he said. "I'm warm...Everywhere and...Inside."

She knew that she was a bit chilly so she could only imagine how naked Angel was feeling. She gathered up a blanket. She moved over to him, wrapping him up in it. She came back to sit in front of him. She was just grinning at him. She looked him all over. "It worked... It actually worked..."

"What happened," Angel asked. "What worked?" Then he frowned again. "I'm hungry... I'm.... I'm human."

"Not exactly." She was nearly bouncing where she was sitting. She couldn't believe it. For once, The Powers didn't screw them all over. They finally realized that a happy Champion was one who would want to save the world. "And yeah, you are human-ish. Do you need me to spell it out for you?"

Angel swallowed hard. "How about over breakfast," he said. "I am starving."

She got up from the floor and reached out to take his hand. "I think this is best explained over some chocolate Pop Tarts. And then once it all sinks in, you can make me something a little more substantial."

Standing he didn't move at first he looked around the cabin. All the window curtains were open and the bright sunlight was coming in from all over. He walked over to one of the windows to see the brilliant blue sky and the white snow, the trees and the mountains. "It’s been over 250 years since I've seen this sight."

She moved up behind him and slipped her arms around his middle. "You get to see it every day for the rest of your life, Angel." She moved up to kiss his cheek softly before she let go of him. She grabbed her panties up from the floor and pulled them on as she went to the kitchen.

He lingered a moment longer then turned from the window. He got his pants and boxers and put them on. He moved to the kitchen area.

She grabbed the box of Pop Tarts out of the cabinet. She set them on the counter before reaching over to plug in the toaster. She opened the box, got a packet out, opened it, and put it into the toaster to get warm. She turned to look at Angel. "You want to wait for this to finish or you want me to tell you now?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I think sitting down would be best." He thought for a few minutes. "You glowed purple...and something seemed different."

She got two plates out of the cabinet and set them down. She waited for him to sit at the breakfast bar. "You remember how I told you, when you first found out about the prophecy, that I would be there with you until the end?"

Taking a seat, he looked at her. "Yeah, I remember," he replied. "And I sort of lost faith in the prophecies."

"Well...You shouldn't have. Angel..." She turned to look at him. She was really looking at him now; the seriousness was reflected in her face and eyes. "I AM the end."

"How? What...." He looked at his hands and flexed them like he'd n ever seen them before.

The toaster popped the two Pop Tarts up and she grabbed them. She juggled them since they were hot. She put them both on a plate and handed it to him. "I told you The Powers gave me a gift. They showed me how to Shanshu you using my demon powers. They showed me that we were ready."

He looked up at her from his hands. "But...I have two more vampires to hunt down that got away last night."

"I really need to print things on cards for you to read. I told you when you first woke up, you aren't human. Not exactly. The Powers weren't really open to the idea of giving up their Champion or their Seer." She picked at the edge of the Pop Tart and then popped a small bit in her mouth.

"This is just a lot to absorb, and relearning all the things that I haven't had to worry about for centuries." He picked up the Pop Tart and took a bit. His eyes went wide as saucers. "Hot...Hot..."

"They tend to do that!" She picked up his plate and put it under his chin so he could tilt his head and spit the hot filling and pastry out. "You are a basically a Slayer now so it should heal fast. Let me get you some cold milk." She lowered the plate and went to get the milk out of the fridge and a glass out of the cabinet.

However, he didn't spit it out. "It’s chocolate," he said in a slurring voice.

"I have a whole fridge full of chocolate." She poured the glass of milk and put the jug away. She reached for the syrup that neither of them had put back last night. She put some into the milk, stirred it around, and gave it to him. "Chocolate milk."

Angel took the milk and he drank a bit. He thought about it a minute then he chugged it down. When he was done he lowered the glass and had a milk moustache on his upper lip. He was still processing all of this. "Slayer," he said to her or to himself. "But slayers are girls...There's never been a male...But then I was a vampire with a soul, no other had that before." Angel was just a creature of a lot of firsts. Sometimes he felt like the universe was using him as a guinea pig.

Cordelia reached over to wipe the milk mustache off from his upper lip. He reminded her of Ian right then. She took his glass so that she could make him another glass of chocolate milk. "The Powers didn't want you to be human because then you'd be helpless. I know you can't sit by and watch as the rest of us fight the big bad. They know it too. This way, you can still do what you know but you get all the perks of humanhood."

When Cordelia put the next glass down in front of him he looked at it. "Chocolate. Been a few years since I was able to taste it," he said with a boyish smirk. He picked it up and drank. "How many of the others knew about this, your little scheme?"

She was glad that Angel was smiling. It meant that he wasn't mad at her for not telling him. "Wes, Fred, Connor, and Lillian. I would have probably told Gunn and Faith if I could have gotten a hold of them. You know I couldn't have told you, you never would have agreed to it."

"No. I wouldn't have," he agreed. "I could have killed you last night. Whatever that stuff was it called out the demon. You're lucky, Cordy, that the full demon didn't make it." He said this meaning the pure thing that was in him, what showed itself in Pylea.

"I knew what I was doing, Angel. Luck had nothing to do with it. Never had a false vision before so why would they start?" She just looked at him pointedly. She didn't tell him what the alternative was if she had failed. "I think you aren't getting the whole this is what I was made to do thing either."

He reached over and took her hand. "What you were made for was to be my partner, best friend, wife," he said. "And never could I have asked for someone better for the role or deserve it."

She smiled at the compliment. The warmness of his hand was something that she wasn't used to from him. It felt odd at first. "That wasn't what I meant and you know it but thank you for the compliment."

"I know what you meant. It seems in our lives things come together for a reason more so then anybody else’s'." Pulling his hand back he stood. "I have a feeling I'm going to need to get a couple extra things for my wardrobe while here."

"I brought you some warm clothes. Nothing much but enough so you have something to wear out today." She paused for a moment. "I know this seems great since it worked and all but they were testing us." She just looked at him, not sure if he wanted to hear the whole story or if he just wanted to enjoy it.

"Testing? As in to see if you would go through with it knowing something like last night could happen and get out of hand," he asked her. Glancing down at the half of Pop Tart, he took it up and finished it off.

She put her Pop Tart on his plate since he did seem to be digging the chocolate filling inside. "No. As in what would happen if one of us ever died. Buffy died, sure, you got upset, you went away for three months but you kept up the mission. I died and let's face it, you went suicidal." She was talking about his other reality, his other dimension. She knew this was her husband but she hadn't forgotten. "And I didn't exactly cope well with your death either. I probably would have withered away and died from starvation and exhaustion."

"I guess...I guess these alternate realities are more of showing us a lesson," he said. "Two different prophetic dream scenarios of two different people that are us and neither of us. So, Princess, I think you're stuck with me." He picked up the Pop Tart, broke it in half then held it up for her to take a bite. "And we've both seen the ‘better or worse’ side. Frankly, I like the better."

She leaned forward to take a bite of the Pop Tart. She pulled back so that she could chew it. "Sucks for other selves though, that is for sure. Have to love how The Powers play screenwriter with our lives."

"Who knows, maybe they are somewhere watching the show on a big screen plasma," he said with a chuckle. "Think we can get an Emmy or Oscar?"

"Oh great, free pornography for the other Cordelias and Angels out there. We should be charging." She moved around the breakfast bar to move to him. She wrapped her arms around him. "Take me out to a real breakfast." It wasn't a request, it was a command.

"I was talking about TPTB," he said. Then he wrapped his arms around her. "Well, we both better get some clothes on. Besides freezing I think they might refuse us at the restaurant."

"I still think we should be charging." She lingered a moment in his arms. There was still a part of her that couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe that he was human. After all the cruel jokes they had played on them, she was waiting for the punchline to this one. "I love you." She said simply.

Angel leaned down and kissed her, just a soft tender kiss. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes. "I love you, too."

 

Cordelia opened the door to the cabin. She was exhausted after a day spent on the slopes. She just wanted to cook a quick dinner and maybe settle into the hot tub for the day. "I am telling you, Angel, you can get sunburned even when it’s cloudy and even when you are skiing. You will thank me tomorrow for putting sunscreen on you. I have more experience in the sun than you, remember?" She turned around, flashing one of her smiles at him.

Angel stepped in and pulled off his parka. "And I'll thank you every day of the rest of our lives as we grow old and even sitting on the garden in rockers watching the grandkids and great grandkids play," he said. "Or maybe I'll throw rocks at the neighbor kids for stepping on the grass."

She laughed when he said that. She turned to look at him. "Turn the hose on them." Cordelia slipped out of her own jacket, hanging it up. She moved to the living room to start up the fire. "I bought plenty of groceries so we can stay in tonight. The entire freezer is filled with chocolate ice cream, all different kinds. And I thought you would just want to have dinner here tonight instead of going out."

He hung his coat and then followed her into the living room. He pulled her from the fireplace to roll her over on the thick, fake fur rug in front of it. He was laying down on her. "I already know what dessert is."

She grinned up at him as she found herself on the rug, pinned by him. She put her hand against his chest. She loved to feel of his warm skin now. "If I wasn't so hungry, I would say let's have dessert first." She moved her arms up to rest on his shoulders. "You owe me such a HUGE present for this. New wardrobe big. New car big. "

"I think it’s more like I owe you so much I could never repay you big so you're stuck with me from now on big," he said with a soft expression in his eyes he was never able to have before.

She reached up and with the back of her hand, she stroked his cheek. "You deserve this, Angel. I know it, you know it, The Powers know it. This is going to make you a better man, a better Champion."

"A man," he said as if the word were strange to him. "I was never able to really call myself that before...Because I wasn't."

"How about being a man that cooks me dinner?" She chuckled but she didn't make a move to move him off her. She couldn't wait for tonight, to be able to fall asleep in his arms without having to warm him with a hot shower or electric blanket first.

"Hmm, let me think," Angel said as he seemed to debate it in his mind. "Food is good." Before he got up he gave her a kiss then he was up and moving to the large open kitchen.

She got up from the rug. The fire was going good now so the place would be nice and warm when they finally decided to go to bed. She followed him into the kitchen. "Do you need help?" It was strange but without the twins to look after, she could actually lend a hand in the kitchen.

"I thought for now just some sandwiches because I noted something and it'll take a couple hours but when done you will so thank me for it." He gave her a quick glance and a bit of a grin.

Her nose wrinkled up. "I didn't get sandwich stuff. I got real food. I thought that once you were...Changed, you might actually want to eat. I am sure whatever it is, it can wait an hour while we have a real dinner." She leaned down on the counter, looking at him. How could he resist her? She was only asking for an hour.

Angel had found an iron pot under the cabinet and was already busy cutting up veggies. "You did get some lettuce and other salad fixings," he asked her. "Because this is so what you need on a cold winter's night...Well, besides hot, steamy sex."

"Yes. To both of those points." She leaned over to see what he was doing. "I already read all my magazines so give me something to do." It wasn't a request. She had never really thought what she would do on the downtime while Angel cooked since it had been so long since she had downtime.

Stopping, he looked at her then leaned to her and gave her a kiss. "Why don't you fix us a salad," he said. "We can enjoy that while this cooks."

"Salad...Can do." She chuckled as she opened the fridge door. She got out the ready made salad mix and then a few extras to toss in there. She was glad the cabin was equipped with all the cooking accessories they needed. She got down a big bowl so she could combine everything.

As she worked on the salad, he found some chicken to brown in a skillet. When that done he added it in the pot along with some canned broth. After everything was combined in the iron pot, he put the lid on it and carried it to the fireplace. He got the poker and pulled a long swinging arm from inside the fireplace. He hung the pot on it and pushed it back in over the fire. Looking back to Cordy, he sat on the rug. "Now you'll taste some real cooking."

"Hey now...I do some real cooking at home. I think adding chicken to a ready made meal pack is a big step in the right direction." She just looked at him after he sat on the rug. She put the finished salad into the fridge for now. Since he was on the rug, she doubted very much if he was in the mood to eat.

"You'll see what I mean shortly," he said, holding his hand out to her to come join him. "Do you know how good if felt to have the cold air sting my face today?"

When he held his hand out, she came around from the kitchen counter. She took his hand and then sat down with him. She just looked at him. "Assuming that was rhetorical." She smiled at him

Angel just chuckled, his hand rubbed her thigh. "I just really want you to know how grateful I am that you did this," he said then looked up at her and then brought that hand up to wag a finger at her, "But if you ever do anything so dangerous again....."

"Oh, shut up." She chuckled as she pushed that finger of his away. Once she pushed it away, she reached for his hand. She held it in her own two hands. "Angel, you deserve this. I wouldn't have known if The Powers didn't show me."

Angel moved closer to her and laid his head in her lap. "What I can't figure out is what did I do to deserve the family I have," he said, closing his eyes.

She reached down to gently stroke back his hair. She just looked down at him as she spoke to him. "You shouldn't think like that, Angel. You are a Champion. You've saved the world and like everyone, you've made mistakes. But the good outweighs the bad. I wish you had as much faith in yourself as I have in you.

"What my faith is in is that I know I have you and the kids," he said. "And every time I go out I think how I have to return to my family. And that thinking is not so much how they need me as how I need them."

"Well, have some faith in yourself. For me." She brought his hand up to her lips. She kissed it softly. "Why don't you go take care of whatever you needed to take care of?"

He grinned and looked up at her. "There's only one thing I can think of at this moment," Angel spoke as he sat up a bit and then kissed her.

She kissed him back but then she remembered that he wanted sandwiches at first because he had something to do, something she would thank him for. She broke the kiss, looking at him. "I thought you had to go do something. We can have a quick snack and eat your dinner when you get back."

"Um, yeah," he replied. "There is a bit of a problem to deal with." He kissed her again and then he stood. "That should be ready when I get back." He indicated the pot over the open fire.

She didn't move from where she was sitting. She merely looked up at him with a grin. "And I will take care of you when you get back." There was a twinkle in her eye, something that said they might not be eating dinner first.

"I'll keep you to that promise," Angel said as he went to get his long black coat instead of the parka. The parka wasn't an option to have a throw down with some vampires in.

"Angel..." She paused long enough until his head turned back to her. "You might want to put on a shirt under your sweater. It’s cold out there now that the sun has set. Something you aren't used to."

"I still have the thermal on under my clothes," he said as he adjusted his collar. He had his wrist stakes in the car as well as a few other weapons he'd pull out of the trunk.

"I just want to make sure you don't freeze that hot butt of yours off out there. It’s been over two centuries since you felt cold." She grabbed a pillow up off the floor and lobbed it at him. "Sorry for being the concerned wife." She was smiling though, clear that there were no hard feelings.

Angel caught the pillow and grinned at her. With a wink, he tossed the pillow aside and then went on out the door.

It was the same scene as the night before, only with one vampire short. The two newbies were at the bar, chatting up two girls. They were on the prowl for dinner. Their sire might be dead but they really could care less. It just meant one less meal that they had to share with the old coot.

Angel stepped in the main lodge and glanced around. He couldn't sense vampires the same as he had when he was one but something was making his stomach a bit weird feeling. That feeling one gets like its not quite time to vomit but if it’s not taken care of soon you will hurl your last several meals. He made his way from the lobby to the bar and saw the source of his discomfort.

The two vampires felt something strange as well. They felt a Slayer. Both of them turned their head, trying to find who was causing this feeling. It had been a lot more of a pain in the ass since all the Slayers had been called at once. They could handle one untrained Slayer. Moving away from the bar, they both stepped outside to draw her out.

He watched the vampires step out and as they did he stepped up to the girls. "Ladies," he said to them, "don't expect your dates back." After that he moved on, following them. He knew what they were up to and what they were expecting. Stepping out, he looked to where the vampires had gone and strolled that way. "You know, it’s nice of you guys not to want to dirty up the lodge."

The younger of the duo looked over at Angel. He had been the one that had been giving them trouble last night. Neither of them were in the habit of warning a fellow vampire, especially one that killed their Sire, that a Slayer was on the loose. "You got a problem or something?"

Angel looked to the side a moment with only a movement of his eyes. "Yeah," he said. "My problem is that you made a midnight snack out of those girls last night and about to do the same to these." He looked back at them. "I'm not going to let it happen."

This was not shaping up to be their night. First, they were going to have to deal with a Slayer, and second, they were going to have to deal with the guy who off'ed their Sire. The older one spoke up. "We will get off your turf if it’s such a big deal."

Angel stepped on forward. "See, that's the problem," he replied back. "No matter where you go you're on my turf." Getting as close as he was to them, he realized that they should be sensing he was on the breathing side of things now as compared to last night. Then when in range, Angel brought his leg up to kick the nearest one. He flicked his wrist to bring out the spring loaded stake from his sleeve to strike it for the second fledgling.

The younger one was not prepared or trained for this kind of fighting. He had barely been a vampire inside of a month. The stake landed right on target, turning him to dust. The second one, the older one, was far more skilled though. He blocked the kick by grabbing Angel's leg. He twisted Angel's leg, waiting to hear the snap.

Angel hopped up on the one foot to spin with that turn to save his leg. He did land on his side in the snow covered ground. He was right back up with a hurling adz pulled and he took a swing to hit the vampire with it.

The fellow vampire hadn't expected such trouble on what should have been a fantastic vacation. He ducked when Angel swung at him but he punched the other man hard in the stomach. The blow should have been enough to send Angel reeling.

Angel was knocked back. He was lucky that he managed to tighten his ab muscles before the blow, but it still took some out of him.

There weren't a lot of choices of weapon but the vampire wasn't going to let up. As Angel stumbled back, the vampire was on him, tackling him to the ground. He rained a quick succession of blows down, trying to connect with Angel's face.

As the vampire swung in his blows Angel brought up the hand with the stake to shove it into the vampire's left side just below his arm. He made sure to shove hard so it would go in deep.

The stake did hit its mark but before it could pierce his heart, the vampire was up and stumbling away from Angel. He growled before yanking the stake free from his body. He held onto it since it would serve as a weapon to teach this guy a lesson. He came at Angel once more, using his pain to fuel the fight.

From his other sleeve, a stake appeared and he came up to meet the vampire. "Will you just die," Angel said as he rammed the second stake home.

The vampire managed to dodge the second stake. He really did enjoy being a vampire so he wasn't about to go down that easily. To avoid the stake, he had to back off from Angel though.

"Okay, pal," Angel spoke to the vampire, "you're really screwing up my evening here. I've got a very sexy lady waiting on me and an Irish stew cooking over an open fire. This is just really messing all that up." With that Angel took up the adz again.

"You killed my sire and my brother AND chased off my dinner. I think I win for having the worse night." He still had the stake in his hand. He went for Angel again, stake raised. He tried to bring it down into Angel's chest. He could make out the guy's heartbeat and smell the mortality on him. But a stake to the heart isn't exactly a pleasant experience, mortal or vampire.

When the vampire rushed him Angel moved quickly, grabbing that arm with the stake and twisted, flipping the vampire over. "Your sire was a prancing, ass kissing, poof," he said as he spun to bring that adz down, aiming for the vampire's neck.

At least it was over quickly as the adz cut through the vampire's neck, severing head from body. It was only a moment before the body that was once solid was now dust.

Angel stood straight now. He looked down where that body was and now it looked like somebody tossed out the ashes from the fire pit of a fireplace. After this fight he found he could still go badass on demons without being one. Though he decided he was going to have to do more intense work on this abs since now he could have the wind knocked from him. He gathered his stakes and headed on back for the cabin and his waiting dinner and dessert.

While Angel was gone, Cordelia amused herself by lighting some candles to lead the way out to the hot tub. She knew that dinner could wait just a bit longer. They had spent the day eating and enjoying the sun. They hadn't had a chance to enjoy each other, to test out Angel's human body. She had two glasses of wine poured, waiting next to the hot tub. She was waiting just inside, waiting to hear him come through the door.

Angel entered the cabin. Pausing, he noticed the dimmed lights. In fact it seemed the lights were out and candles were illuminating the cabin. The aroma of the stew also gave a very welcoming feel to the cabin. He walked by the counter and grabbed an apple. He could understand why Buffy and Faith acted like they did now after a fight, hunger hit. He took a bite from the apple and followed the trail of candles.

Once she heard the door open and closed, Cordelia grinned. She knew Angel was back from taking care of those two vampires. She stepped out and slipped out of her robe as she headed to the hot tub. She shivered as the cold air hit her naked skin but she resolved that quickly by sliding into the hot tub.

He paused now in the doorway taking another bite of the apple and looking at the hot tub and what was in it.

She moved to the edge of the hot tub that was closest to him. She rested her arms on it, looking at him. "Are you just going to stand there all night or are you going to come join me?"

Finishing the apple, he put the core down. He slowly chewed as he undressed, pulling off the sweater and kicking off his shoes as the same time. When undressed he shivered and quickly got into the hot water then smiled and moved over to Cordy. "Hmmm, is this the way normal humans welcome each other home after a hard day's work?"

She moved through the water so that she could slide easily into Angel's arms. "I am not a normal human. I am extraordinary, remember? No, this is a purely Cordelia greeting." She kissed him softly. She just barely brushed her lips against his.

He kissed her back and pulled back but barely. "I like that even better," he said. He moved his hand under the water up her leg.

"How did your new Slayer self work out with the vampires?" She didn't really feel like talking shop but she wanted to make sure that she had made the right choice in changing him. He didn’t seem upset and he sure wasn't brooding. She took those both as a good sign.

"Well, I'm here," he said. "They are just dust in the wind." Leaning to her neck, he kissed her skin and then moved up to her ear and nibbled.

"Doesn't look like you got hurt either. At least, not bad enough to ruin my little night of seduction." She snickered softly as she felt his lips against her neck and then at her ear. She didn't move away but she maneuvered so that she could grab the wine.

She could seduce him in a burlap bag and she knew it. Well, it seems the slaying made him hungry in more then one way. He nipped at her earlobe as she moved.

She laughed once more as he continued to nip her earlobe. "Angel...What has gotten into you? I know I am sexy as hell but I had a plan here. Candles, wine, hot tub. You are ruining my grand seduction."

"Hmm...All I know is right now I just want you," he said as he nuzzled her hair. His hand was slipping up the inside of her thigh under the water.

"Wow...I must be really good if all it takes is some candles and a hot tub. Then again, part of me is worried you are working the serious Liam thing here. So I am going to say that if you ever go out and cheat on me with some blonde, I will kill you." Her voice was entirely serious because she was serious about it. She took a sip from her wine and then put the glass back. It was clear that he wasn't interested in a before dessert drink.

"How could I go out and take up scraps," he said as he put on the brogue, "when I have the best right here in my arms?" His other hand he did reach for his glass and he drank. Then he put it back down.

"You keep that kind of talk up and we will do just fine. Oh hey look, you can get drunk again. I am sure the Irish in you is happy." She chuckled as she watched him put his glass back down. She took another sip from her own wineglass. She didn't want to drink too much.

"I could get drunk before, but it took a fortune to do it," he replied. "But do you really want to get me drunk?"

"No. I want you to make incredible, amazing, mind blowing love to me. Tonight and for every night for the rest of our lives. I want to feel your body against mine, moving with mine. I want you. I love you. I need you." She leaned forward against to press her lips against his. This was wholly different from the soft kiss of before. She crushed her body against his as her lips stayed on his.

Angel returned that kiss and his hand went from her thigh to her sex and began to stroke her as she kissed him. He felt his heart start to race and more then the heat of the tub was making things warm.

Now they both had that habit of breathing to contend with. She broke the kiss, panting lightly. She looked into his eyes. "Do you want to stay here or...?" Her voice trailed off, fading into a soft moan as his fingers brushed against her sex.

Moving Cordy, he stood then reached down to pick her up. He moved quickly out of the hot tub and into the cabin. When at the rug in front of the fireplace, he laid her down. He just looked down at her a moment before he started kissing her again.

She knew that at least this time in front of the fireplace, on that rug, wouldn't end in her near death. She tilted her chin up to meet his lips in yet another searing kiss. She could feel the heat from their lips moving right down her spine to form a burst right in her middle.

Breaking the kiss he slid down her body, kissing ever inch of skin as he did. At her breast he licked the nipple then took it in his mouth and began to suck. With his left hand he worked her right breast not wanting it to feel ignored.

The sensations were so different now. After years of feeling his cool touch against her hot skin, it was completely different to feel the warm softness of his hands and the heat of his mouth and tongue. She moaned once again, turning her body slightly. The feeling of the fur on her back was fantastic as well as she shifted again to have it brush against her.

The sensations Angel was feeling in his own body were new. The experience was like the first time. As human, Liam wasn't a saint or virgin but he was never in love with the women he had sex with. They were just there to satisfy his need. They were whores and starry eyed young girls that were all seduced by his good looks and his family's position in the village. The heat his body was creating caused beads of sweat to pearl on his shoulders and back. He moved his attention to her other breast, taking the nipple in his mouth then slipping his hand down to her mound.

Once again, she felt those soft, warm, all together human fingers against her sex. Her body responded before her brain could tell it to, moving to press back against his hand. She had been thinking of this, of him, all day so she was already more than ready. This was just an added bonus, when all the attentions for the evening were on her.

His fingers slipped on down to her heat. He stroked her then pressed a finger into her. His mouth kept sucking on her breast softly then hard then softly again. He moaned as he took in all these new sensations and feelings. They were old but new all at once.

"Angel..." She said his name softly, partway between a whisper and a moan. She shuttered just a bit as his stroking fingers brushed over her. "Lay down..." Again, her voice still was that combination of barely there and on the verge of moaning.

Raising his head he looked at her face but his hand kept working. Then slowly he moved his hand from her and laid back, not saying anything.

She waited for him to lay back before she moved her body over his. She kissed him, gently at first and then deepened it. She pushed her tongue against his lips as her hands moved down his sides.

He parted his lips for her, meeting his tongue to hers. His hands moved down her back, warm fingers feeling every inch of her skin as they went.

Cordelia could feel that she wasn't going to have to worry about getting Angel ready. She could feel the evidence of that pressed between their bodies. Her hands slipped between them, taking him in her hand. She never once broke the kiss between them now. She wouldn't until the last possible moment when she had to breathe. She didn't want it to end.

Angel had to break the kiss when she took hold of him. He looked up at her. "Cordelia, I love," he said in a hoarse, whispering tone.

She grinned at him when he couldn't finish his sentence. "Love what? Love what I am doing to you? What I am going to do to you? Or is this the "I love the Detroit Red Wings" sort of thing." She kept looking down at him, even as she started to sit up.

He swallowed hard. "All of the above and then some," he replied as he muscles in his gut and groin tightened.

"I am about to make red hot love to you and you actually agree to the loving the Detroit Red Wings thing? Not exactly a turn on for me, Ace. You better try again." She was teasing him now, her hand moving slowly up and down against him. They both knew that she wouldn't deny them for long but she wanted to have a little bit of the game.

"Uh, yeah, all that and more," he said. "But I think the more means you and what you're doing now and going to do."

"And what exactly is it that you think I am going to do? Talking about a hockey team during foreplay doesn't get me hot. I am not Faith." She snickered a little as she made that joke but it was oddly true.

"I never mentioned a hockey team, you did," Angel replied to her in self defense. He shifted a little under her attentions.

"It was a test and you failed. You really need to say something to make it up to me now." She took her hand off him, putting both of them on his chest. She looked down at him. She was waiting. She could feel his pulse, his heartbeat, through his chest. It was a totally new feeling but not unwelcome.

Angel didn't say anything he just came up on his left elbow and then with his right hand he placed behind her head and pulled her to him for a kiss. It was deep and loving putting his feelings into what he couldn't express with words.

That was more than fine with her. She had just been teasing him, playing with him, but the kiss they shared told her that the game was over for now. There were plenty of other times to harass Angel about his foot in mouth disease. She reluctantly pulled her lips away from his, sitting up now. She curled her fingers around him once more and this time, instead of teasing him, she used her hand to guide him into her heat.

Laying back, Angel let his right hand slowly move down Cordelia's body as she slid him into her. His hand went down her arm and leg then back up with both hands. He moved them over her stomach then up to her breasts. He throbbed in her.

She settled down into his lap so that she could give herself a chance to get used to the feelings. It was completely different than before. He was human now, warm and slightly yielding. She leaned down to kiss him once more before she slowly rolled her hips forward and back.

Smiling up at her, he started moving with her. Feeling her tighten on him as she moved caused him to arch his back a bit. Kissing her back he ran a finger down her back lightly, knowing her slight tickle spot in her lower back.

When his fingers brushed over that sensitive spot on her lower back, she surged forward, her entire body tightening. She broke the kiss to look at him with a smile. "What do you think you are doing?" She said to him, her voice coming out a bit labored.

"What do you think I'm doing," he answered with a mischievous grin. That grin that had long ago been lost but now was able to push to the surface, free of the demon that held it back for so long.

"I think you are enjoying yourself while I do all the work." She smiled as she said it. She leaned down to kiss him once again. Her lips gently pressed to his as she slowly lifted her hips up and then down against him. She wanted to make this last, to make love to him as oppose to a quick screw.

"I'm sure I'll have my chance to take up some of that horrible," he began to say then she kissed him. "...work," he finished when the kiss was broke. He started to move his hips again, meeting her, matching her with ease.

"About time..." She said. She was breathing harder now as she moved. She sat up some, resting her hands against his chest. She looked down at him and kept her eyes with his. She was watching him as she ground her hips down to meet his.

Angel closed his eyes with the pleasure all old and new combined. When Cordy would grind down on him he would push his hips to meet her. Finally he opened his eyes to look up at her and what he saw was pleasure and beauty. The way her lips parted just a bit...The look in her eyes...She was perfect.

She moved forward once more, putting her lips against his neck. She alternated between kissing his skin and moaning against the side of his neck. With each movement forward and back, her breasts rubbed against his chest. She moved his hands to hold her hips as she sped up.

He held her hips and when she moaned his fingers pressed into her. He started speeding up. The pressure was building to his climax and sweat beaded up on his body.

So many times she had been on the receiving end of a bite. She now could safely return the favor to him. She sucked the side of his neck, taking the skin in between her lips and teeth. When she started to climax, she bit him lightly. She wanted it to be a love bite, a hickey, and a mark of hers that would be on him for at least a day. Her entire body went shock still as she climaxed.

Angel gasped at the bite and the climax. Coldness didn't flow from him...It was pure heat. He brought one arm up to put his hand at the back of her head, fingers working into her hair.

That was yet another completely different sensation for her. It didn't click in her mind that after years of not having to worry about pregnancy, that was now a very real possibility. She took her teeth from his skin but she still sucked on his skin. The pressure of her on his skin eased up as her climax eased off her.

Angel laid there, still and quiet. His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. His breathing was heavy. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him as he softened in her.

She took her lips from his neck. She settled against him as she tried to catch her breath and calm down. She kept her eyes closed, her cheek resting on his shoulder. It was so different to have a hot body touching her own feverish skin.

"That...That was...," Angel tried to put in words, "wow." His voice was hoarse.

She smiled but she didn't move from where she was. "Thanks. I do my best." She patted his chest lightly with her hand. She didn't want to get up but dinner smelled good and her stomach was rumbling. "We need to refuel before we do that again."

Angel looked over at the pot over the fire. "Yeah," he agreed, "I'm hungrier now then I was when I got back. I think from now on we're going to have to have snacks by the bed because after killing those two vamps I was hungry and horny."

She started to move off him. She didn't want to but she was hungry too. She stood up, looking down at him. "I will go get our robes. And you know we can always combine the two. You had to have seen Nine and a Half Weeks."

He sat up when she got off him. He grabbed the poker, hooked it over the rod that the pot hung on, and pulled it out of the fireplace. "This is going to be so good," he told her. "Back in the day rabbit used to go in more instead of chicken."

"Aww, no. No poor bunnies will be harmed in the preparing of dinner." She headed up the stairs to the loft sleeping area to get their robes. She put hers on and slipped her feet into her slippers. She came back downstairs with his robe and a pair of slippers for him too. "How about we just sit on the floor and eat in front of the fireplace?"

Standing, he took his robe from her and slipped it on then the slippers. "I like that idea," he said as he went back to the kitchen to grab some bowls and utensils. Coming back he first dipped her stew and handed it to her. Then he dipped his. "You know how long I've wanted to eat like this again?"

"Like 250 years?" She gave him a smile as she took the food from him. She sat with her back against the couch. She reached for a spoon. "The kids are going to be so happy. Now you can take them out for ice cream and eat it. You can come with us to a real beach. You can teach them how to ride a bike."

"I'll be able to go to Ian's little league games...teach Katy to ride a pony..." He smiled as he took a bite.

She moved so that she could get as close to him as possible. "Not sure how many ponies you are going to find in L.A. But, you can take Ian out to see Xander and all you boys can do paintball." She waited for her spoonful to cool off before she took a bite of it.

"Xander," he said. "Are you kidding? He'd cry like a baby on the first shot."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, like you have ever taken a paintball to the butt. Xander plays it with Ian all the time. And neither of them cries. They wear those stupid bruises like badges of courage. Count me out. I will just go shopping or something."

"And I bet when he gets home alone he whines 'MAMA'," he chuckled and took his next bite. "So, how's that stew?"

"It’s really good. It’s just what I needed." She smiled at him. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Thanks for dinner. It’s nice to have someone cooking for me all the time."

Finishing, he set his bowl aside. "Well, stew is always best on cold, winter nights," he said. "I can remember how the smell would fill the house. That's the good thing about cooking like this; you can taste it before you even get to eat."

"Well, it never really gets cold enough in L.A. for this sort of food. Maybe in a few years, once the school is paid off and we are a bit more in the black, we can buy a little place up here. I like this, just you and I, alone." She meant without the kids. She loved the twins but they afforded very little privacy for things like this.

He slipped his arm back behind her. "It is really nice," Angel agreed. "But we wouldn't know what to do if we didn't have the kids always around. And now, Grandma, we have another generation to add."

Her nose wrinkled up and she poked him in the side. "Don't call me Grandma. I hate that. Grandmas should be old. I am not even 30 yet." She put her empty bowl aside for now so she could snuggle closer to him.

Angel flinched with her poke and grinned. "I'm gonna get one of those plates for your car that says ‘Sexy Grandma’."

Her jaw dropped and she turned her full body to look at him. "Angel, no. You better not. I will divorce you so fast; it will make your head spin!" She was so serious about that. She wasn't sure if he was joking or if he was being serious as well.

"Yeah, well you are," he told her. "Sexy wife, mother, friend....Just all around sexy." He looked at her and brought up a finger to tap her nose lightly.

"Let's keep it as sexy wife, mother, and friend for now." She gave him just a little bit of a smile but damn if she wasn't serious about killing him if he got her anything that said 'grandma'. "How about we try that hot tub again and then you can take me to bed?"

"And she's psychic too," he said like he was surprised. "Damn, I couldn't ask for more." Getting up, he pulled her up. He put her over his shoulder and headed out for the hot tub.

-TBC-