TITLE : I Will, But I Won't
AUTHOR: Melissa Flores
EMAIL: mistyjox@hotmail.com
TEASER: Cordelia's feeling a little under appreciated by her men, so she follows the grand ole' LA tradition: Cordelia goes on strike.
RATING: PG-13
GENRE: Angel/Cordelia, cast ensemble
SPOILERS: First Impressions
NOTES:
Well the natives were getting restless. Lately the emails have gone from the sweet "please write more fic" to the "where the hell have you been" kind, and those scare me. So here's your appeasement, this story and you get a teaser of "Simple Pleasures", the next chapter of the Tainted Love, just so you guys know, no, I haven't forgotten ya. I've just been blocked.

--

I won't be a dirty secret
I won't be your cure-all pill
I won't run to fetch the water just to tumble down the hill

I won't be a Friday Paycheck
I won't be the prize you flaunt
And I won't be your Martha Stewart, baby
Or your all night restaurant

But I will, I will
I will be your everything
If you make me feel like I woman should
And I will, I will
I will be the whole shabang
You know I will

But

I won't be your crutch to lean on
I won't wear stiletto heels
And I won't walk a mile in your shoes
Just so I know how it feels

I won't be your army geisha
I won't be your Barbie Doll
I won't be the portrait of perfection to adorn your wall

But I will, I will
I will be your everything
If you make me feel like I woman
And I will, I will
I will be the whole shebang
You know I will

Hey, you know, you know I will.

I won't be your lifetime girlfriend
I won't be just one of the guys
I won't be your Mama's favorite
I refuse to be the last in line

But I will, I will
I will be your everything
If you make me feel like a woman should
And I will I will
I will the whole shebang
You know I will
You know I will

--

Her back ached, her hands were swollen, and Cordelia Chase could have sworn that somewhere in her mass of dark curls piled atop her head, was a bit of perspiration.

She hated sweating, especially when she was bored. And she was VERY bored now.  Taking a deep breath, she slid back in the leather chair, her eyes almost going crosswise as she looked at the database of monsters, demons and vampires that had been systematically categorized in the computer.

It had been hours of work, and to top it all off, it was tedious. Cordelia Chase hated tedious. It was an evil that she was desperate to avoid, and thankfully, working for the "vampire with a soul" was seldom quite tedious, because quite frankly, there was Wesley, who was really very good at this tedious stuff, and being somewhat of a nerd, kinda liked doing it too.

Of course nowadays there wasn't really that MUCH that separated her from Wesley. Cordelia Chase, quite simply, was NOTHING like she expected herself to be at a meager twenty years old. Her only real companions consisted of a homeless street war fighter, a bookish ex-watcher, a vampire with a soul, a ghost with an overprotective vibe, and a lonely millionaire with a goofy grin and an even goofier mentality about the world of demons in general.

Men.

All men. All older men, if not in years, in mind, and she was getting pretty darn tired of it.

She blew a bang out of her forehead, and glared at the screen, who stood at attention. It was Friday night. Friday freakin' night and she was the ONLY one that was NOT out.

Wesley was off at his stupid little English pub, drooling over the blonde woman with the big boobs. Gunn was probably off being his standoffish Denzel self at another one of those parties, and Angel?

Well, big surprise. Angel was sleeping.

No, thank you for doing this, Cordelia. I'm sure you might have had plans, Cordelia. Cordelia, maybe YOU'D want to come. NONE of that. No, it was simply, "Cordelia, those catalogues need to be filed, do it," before the damn brood boy pulled off his shirt jogging up the stairs and conked out.

And she had glared after him, mentioned something about overtime, was completely ignored, and then after about a minute or two of huffing and puffing she sat at her computer like a good little seer and began to do exactly what he said.

Now, two hours later, Cordelia Chase was wondering why the hell she took it.

This was SO NOT HER! Okay, it was true, she DID have this little soft spot for saving the world and all, and YES she DID promise to stick by Angel until his atonement was all finished, which, she had to face, was going to be a LONG ASS time, but... but...

She was still Cordelia Chase, wasn't she?

And Cordelia Chase was someone. She WAS someone, someone to be valued, appreciated. She SHOULD be appreciated, for the visions alone!

A year ago she wouldn't have taken this. She would have said hell no to this little bookie assignment, would have not been on hours and taken off and left Angel to wait for her in the morning.

Now was different, because she was committed. But dammit, she wasn't a doormat.

And here she was WILLINGLY BORED on a Friday night, while her brood Boss was upstairs sleeping the night away, and since when did he sleep at night anyway?!

"Okay, Cordelia, don't get worked up, he's got his reasons, " she mumbled to herself, feeling her muscles tense as she leaned back, shutting the computer off to stare at the marbled floor of the big, empty hotel.  "They all have their reasons."

Wesley... well Wesley was Wesley. He was clueless anyway, and who was she to begrudge him a little action? She DID remind him of the pitfalls of sex, but knowing that overgrown dork, he didn't have much to worry about there.

And Gunn? Well he was just plain rude. Rude and insolent and a jerk and despite the fact she liked the guy just a bit didn't excuse the fact that he called her a stick figure Barbie. She had been too busy trying to save his life before, but now that she thought about it... he had treated her like annoying crap.

She was NOT annoying crap! She... was pesky, maybe... but annoying crap?

"I THINK NOT," she mumbled to herself.

But HE had NO excuse.

Cordelia glared at the stairway that led to his room and pursed her lips, shoving aside her chair and grabbing her purse.  Screw this, she was going home to Dennis. At least HE appreciated her.

That was when the sadness hit. It hit her unexpectedly and Cordelia had to freeze for a moment o recover from it. Taking a shaking breath, Cordelia stood, gathering her things. This wasn't her. Yes, she had changed. YES, she wouldn't do anything other than what she was doing now, and NO, she didn't regret her decision to help Angel with his crusade.

But she had to believe she was special. She had to be treated like she was special, at least enough for her to maybe believe it a little.

Because if she wasn't special here... then she wasn't special anywhere.

With another sigh, Cordelia strode out of the hotel, turning back to make sure all the doors were locked, and the alarm was in place, reminding herself to call the bank in the morning and make sure the bills had been received, check on Angel's next blood shipment, and get the receipts for the gas in Angel's car.

Maybe she was just feeling ... emotional. She WAS close to that time of the month. It would be better tomorrow.

Her hazel eyes drifted over the building and a hand reached to her head, thankful that a vision had not yet hit her this week.

It better be better tomorrow.

~*~

The next day, she walked into the hotel with a smile.

The night when she had arrived home had gone wonderfully, and Cordelia had to admit, that she was lucky to have Dennis, who had listened to her rant and even helped her toss things because, he couldn't' say a word.

She LOVED having a roommate that didn't speak. That meant he spent all his time listening, and Cordelia got to talk.

"GOOD morning!" she chirped as she walked into the lobby.

Wesley turned, his glasses glinting as he regarded her with a smile. "Cordelia, how was your night?"

"Trust me you don't to ask," she said, dropping her bags on the counter,and turning to face him. "I mean, ALL night at that stupid computer..."

"Hmmm," was his noncommittal reply.

"I mean, I had NO idea there was about ten thousand different SUB Species of the Angora demon-"

"Anagora."

"Whatever. The point is, I've got the crook in my neck the size of... what are you doing?" She finally asked, crossing her arms and coming to regard the man who had had his back to her the entire conversation.

Her eyebrows when he winked, throwing another dart into the board that he had put up on the east wall.

"Darts?" she queried. "You brought your darts to work?"

"Well I almost got beaten last night, and that lovely Marie-"

"Wesley this is WORK!" Cordelia interrupted with a wave of her hands, stamping her foot down. "You don't bring DARTS to work."

He rolled his eyes and just smiled. "You're hardly one to talk about at work etiquette Miss At Work Nail Polish."

She shut her mouth and glared, and when he gave her a smug grin she only rolled her eyes and looked away, headed toward the counter where the makeshift coffee center was placed.

"Is the coffee decaf?"

"I didn't make coffee."

She paused, and then turned. "WHY not, Wesley?"

He never even turned as he responded, "Well it's hardly in the Watcher's work book, Cordelia."

"No, you sissies drink tea," she mumbled under her breath, sighing as she took the empty pot and taking it to the sink.  "It wouldn't have killed you to start a pot."

"Angel likes the way you make it."

"Angel HATES the way I make it. He's just too damn lazy to do it himself." With that she almost slammed the pot down on the burner and turned away, picking up the mail that lay strewn on the counter.

With another glare at the Watcher, she began to sort the envelopes, stopping when her eyes fell on a pretty official looking one.

Her eyes widened, and immediately the envelope was torn open, and she read the contents.

OH SHIT.

"WESLEY!"

The shrill tone that accompanied the tone made Wesley jump and the British ex watcher turned to see Cordelia's wide eyes almost panicked.

"What? What is it?"

"Did I, or did I NOT tell you to file the claim BEFORE the 29th?" she hissed, waving the letter at him.

He looked a bit confused. "What claim?"

"THE Fire insurance claim, Wesley!" she hissed, coming forward and slamming the paper at his chest.  "This is the from the insurance people! They say the payment was late, and because of that we are NOT eligible for the insurance we've been counting on the make the payment of the hotel."

His mouth dropped open, and for a second, all he could do was stare at her. "But Angel said you would take care of it."

Her eyebrow rose even higher. "I was busy doing everything else. I was COUNTING on YOU doing THIS!"

"Oh, relax, Cordelia, Nabbit will take care of it."

"He is in Kuwait working on an oil deal!"

"He is?! Well... interesting."

"NO! It's NOT interesting! It's-"

"Where's Angel?"

The brusque voice made her inwardly groan.

Gunn...

Biting her lip, Cordelia tried to breathe in, give her shuddering insides a chance to calm down. "Hello, Gunn."

The handsome black man just gave her a tight nod before moving to the counter. "Where is he?"

Well, wasn't THAT a nice greeting. She closed her eyes, and managed to breathe out, "Surprise, surpass, he's STILL asleep."

"Oh. That's cool, I was looking for you anyway."

"Me?" Cordelia felt herself perk up slightly as he came towards her, nodding. "Really?" She grinned slightly. "What for?"

"I need some research done on this demon that hit our streets. He's one mean dude, and I can't find any information on him anywhere, and Angel said you'd look him up. So? Have you found him?"

Cordelia was stock still, and all she could manage was, "What?!"

"Don't play, Cordelia. I need that information now."

"I don't have that information now. Do you know how long it TAKES to look through the musty books and find one little demon?!"

"Well Angel said-"

"SCREW ANGEL!"  And with that Cordelia whirled, and headed for the stairs, heels clicking on the tile as she ran up the stairs, finding his room despite the fact that she seemed to be seeing red.

With shaking hands, she turned the doorknob and in the master suite, she found the pale vampire sleeping with a smile on his face.

With a smile on his face.

"Oh, THAT IS IT," she breathed, marching forward. "Angel! Angel!" He moaned and growled, and she wasn't the least bit impressed, because she grabbed a hand and began slapping his face with another free hand, pulling him out of the bed.  "WAKE UP YOU LAZY ... BROODING-"

"Oww. Oww. OWW!" The gameface flickered on as Angel tried to orientate his surroundings, finding himself sprawled out on the floor, his head hitting the ground as she pulled him completely off the bed. He blinked once, a surge of anger sliding through him as he looked up at the intruder. "CORDELIA?! What the hell-"

"Don't you DARE what the hell ME," she hissed, her hazel eyes blazing as she pointed a trembling finger in his face. "You are SO in the doghouse, Mister."

"What? What are you talking about?"

She glared and was about to answer when her gaze was suddenly pointed downward. "Angel, you're naked."

He froze, looked down, and then suddenly scrambled for the sheet, wrapping it around his body as fast as possible. "Cordelia, get out."

"NO." she crossed her arms and glared. "Since, WHEN Angel, have I been Mother Theresa?"

"What?" he asked, barely hearing her in an attempt to cover his private parts.

"Do I LOOK like a slave to you?"

Angel was completely confused, blinking to try to get the sleep out of his eyes as he got the vague idea Cordelia did indeed, want him to inspect her.

And she was upset. Very upset. So upset that he actually tried to maintain a bit of dignity as he looked the sexy body of his best friend up and down, from her black boots to the red skirt, to the black blouse.

"No?"

"NO! I am NOT a slave, Angel. And yet, somehow, I keep that impression around here."

He again just gave her a blank look.

It was quite clear he was not getting the situation.

"LOOK at my hand, Angel!" She stuck her hands, fingers splayed out as it shook almost violently. "My hands are having an earthquake, Angel and do you know why?"

He narrowed his eyes, staring blankly at her fingers, before finally shrugging. "Cordelia, I-"

"I'm stressed is why, Angel. Apparently sometime between now and who knows when back a few months ago I changed from being your employee, to your slave. 'Cordelia, have a vision!'  'Cordelia, drive my car-' No wait I actually like that part." She continued to pace, and then suddenly huffed, turning and unceremoniously placing hands on her hips to stare him down.

Did she have NO idea he was naked?

Angel pulled the sheet tighter around himself, and found himself giving his appraising glance. Why didn't she notice he was naked? Why didn't she care? He had a nice body. She was a women, women noticed naked men's bodies, didn't they?

Woah, wait. There it was again. Angel sucked in his nonneeded breath of air and shook the thought out of his head. Cordelia was not a woman, Cordelia was his employee. Cordelia was not a woman, Cordelia was a his friend. Cordelia was not a sex object, Cordelia was his seer.

There. Just repeat that mantra sixty more times and you'll be fine, Angel.

"Angel!"

"HuH?" He blinked and once again focused on Cordelia's angry face. "Do you understand me?"

"No, Cordelia, I don't-"

"Somewhere in the middle of all this I became your mother!"

"My... my... my what?!"

"That's right, Angel! Your mother!" She slid her hands through her long dark hair and gave him another glare as she began to pace around the room, ranting to herself and occasionally at him, while he stood completely still watching in bewildered silence. "I'm a mother! And not even MY mother, who got to have a housekeeper and host the chique little parties and walk around with a martini in her hand, NO I became Mrs. Cleaver!"

"Uh... who?"

"I became Mrs Cooking/Dusting/Nursing/Doctoring/Vision/Slave mother!" She stopped, taking in a deep breath for air. She paused, putting a palm over her beating heart, and then looked at him. "Angel. I'm much too young to be a mother to a vampire, a watcher, and a renegade, okay?"

"You're not our mother, Cordelia. You're a member of the team, and-"

"No, Angel. I'm not A member of the team. I'm the little sidekick! I don't want to be anything else. I became 'one of the guys'!" Her hand waved at him in frustration, and he felt himself venture a smirk despite himself.

"You're not one of the guys, Cordelia," he said, with a hint of a chuckle.

"Oh yeah?" she closed her eyes, and spread her arms wide. "What color are my eyes? Hmm? Tell me."

"Hazel," he answered immediately.

Her eyes jolted open and he smiled.

"Oh... Well that was an easy one, mister! When was the last time somebody checked out my ass?"

"What?!" he sputtered, thrown out of his loop yet again. "Cordelia I don't look at your ass!"

"Why not?!" she retorted, eyebrow raised and voice suddenly deadly even. "What's wrong with my ass!"

"Cordelia-" For some reason he was suddenly reminded of the fact that he was wearing nothing but a sheet. "Nothing is.... Why are we having this conversation?!"

Her mouth tilted downwards, and she finally just crossed her arms and sighed. "Haven't you been listening? Angel I'm tired of being ... under appreciated. I want things to change. I want you to start LOOKING at me."

The words were sincere, edged in need, and for a second, Angel was almost lost in the dark hazel eyes, the pleading face stirring something that made him swallowed, pull back.

"Cordelia, we see you."

"No, you don't, Angel," she answered. "I don't know what you see, but you don't see me. You see... a team member... a vision girl... I just... I don't know what I want Angel. but I don't... I dont' this anymore. Things need to change."

"What?" the panic that slid into his chest made his heart wrench, and he found himself sliding down onto the bed, looking at the dark eyes with a sense of fear. "Cordelia... things CAN'T change."

"They have to or.... or else," she finally responded, crossing her arms and setting her posture.

"Cordelia, they're not going to. They can't."

She was quite for a moment, and then finally she sucked in her breath and titled her head. "Alright," she finally snapped. "You asked for it."

"Asked for what?"

She strode to the door, opened it, and flashed him a gorgeous typical Cordelia smile. "As of right now, I'm going on strike."

~*~

"She WHAT?!" Wesley crossed his arms, and looked thoughtful, Gunn looked annoyed, but Angel only shrugged as he leaned back against the counter. "Said things had to change, and then just lit out of the room."

"And out of the hotel," Gunn said. "Wouldn't even look at us."

"Hmmm." Wesley murmured, a finger raising thoughtfully to his chin.

"Have either of you two noticed her being a little... odd?" Angel asked, looking at them both.

"No more than usual, no."

"Yeah, Angel. Cordelia's always been a little..." Charles Gunn tilted his palm from side to side. "Out there, you know?"

"She's behaved normally. Well as normal as a twenty year old girl who gets blinding headaches and works against the purest of evil night after night can be," Wesley sighed.

"Hey, you know, I'm just a couple years older, and I don't freak out like that."

"Yeah, well Gunn, there's a difference. You didn't know Cordelia a couple years ago."

"I'm not sure Cordelia knew Cordelia a couple years ago," Wesley commented.

"Let me guess, spoiled little rich girl?"

Angel gave Gunn a long look, one that made the man close his mouth and look away, and he continued softly, "Cordelia matured, a whole lot. I guess we all came to depend on her a little too much."

"Yes well she does rule with an iron fist, doesn't she?" Wesley grinned. When Angel gave him a scowl, Wesley only gave him a smile. "Buck up, Angel. She just threw a tantrum, that's all. She'll be back in here tomorrow, cooled off and ready to work."

Angel licked his lips, picturing the seer's face as she pleaded with him that things had to change. "It was more than a tantrum."

"Yeah well. We don't got TIME for her and her little hissy fits," Gunn answered. "I need that demon information."

"We're going to give Cordelia as much time as she needs, Gunn," Angel snapped, moving away from the desk. "Wesley, get him that information, I'm going to work."

The haunted anger on his face made Wesley still, and the young British Watcher felt a small pang of worry in his face. "She'll come back, Angel."

The vampire never turned.

Wesley pursed his lips, turning back to Gunn. "What do you suppose happened up there? "

Gunn shrugged, and then steered him to the books. "Demon, now."

"Good God, you're unpleasant."

"You too."

"You're repulsive!"

"You too."

"Bully."

~*~

The next day, Angel was up, dressed, and waiting in the lobby when Cordelia walked in to the door.

He felt himself smile involuntarily, get up to meet her and then found himself faltering, stopping, and forcing the smile off of his face.

"Cordelia," he finally murmured, trying to look as uncaring as possible.

"Angel," she returned sweetly, putting down her purse and a book and turning toward the doorway.

Wow. She was... pleasant. Maybe Wes was right. "I'm ... I'm glad you're here," he called after her.

"Hmm? Oh me too," she responded. "Help me with this, will you?"

"Sure!" he came forward, picking up the lawn chair. "Umm... what's this?"

"My chair! Put it here." She indicated a spot in the middle of the lobby next to her bag and he put it down obediately.  "Thanks!" She patted him on the shoulder, and then settled down, crossing her legs, her skin showing quite a big as she stretched out in the shorts and the tanktop, reaching into her bag.

"Cordelia we have a lot of work to do-"

"Umm.. No. YOU have a lot of work to do. I am on strike." And with that she smiled sweetly and placed a little name tag on her chest, with the words written, "ON STRIKE."

For some reason his stomach completely dropped.

Angel felt his mouth grow dry as Cordelia opened up what appeared to be a romance novel with a half naked pirate ravishing a half naked wench on the cover and began to read.

"What are you doing?"

She glanced up. "Well you don't expect me to march around with a little sign, do you? That's kinda tacky, in my opinion."

"Cordelia..." Oh God she was serious. "Cordelia you can't just up and go on strike!"

"Why not?"

"Well..." For once he felt at a complete loss for words.

"Hullo, hullo! Good morning everyon-what on earth?" Wesley stepped forward, around the lawn chair and peered down at Cordelia's chest. "On STRIKE?!" He flashed Angel a questioning look, and the vampire could only shrug exhasperatedly. "Cordelia you're not actually going through with this, are you? This is positively juvenile!"

"What are you talking about? People strike all the time!"

"UNIONS strike all the time, Cordelia. Not secretaries!"

"I am NOT a secretary," she corrected, not looking up from her book. "I am an administrative assistant. And I do have a union. Card Carrying member."

"Of what?" Angel asked, crossing his arm as Wesley looked completely confused.

She slid a hand into her pocket and slid out a laminated card. "The Union for Under appreciated Seers."

Wesley took the card, and his breath seemed to give out. "Bloody hell," was the expletitive, before handing the card to Angel. Angel took it, studying it. Cordelia's face smiled at him from the card, and when he glanced back to the real Cordelia Chase, she was smirking smugly. "Dennis helped me make it."

There was a surge of anger that flitted up Angel's chest, and something in him seemed to snap as he turned away. "FINE, Cordelia. Be on strike. Wesley come on!" he snapped. "We have work to do."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow and smirked at Wesley, who pouted slightly. "You know Angel, I'm not sure I appreciate that tone of voice-"

"WESLEY!"

"Right-o! On my way!"

And Cordelia Chase sighed, stretching out on the lawn chair, pulling out her bottled water, and taking a long drink.

She had a feeling she was in for a VERY interesting day.

~*~

"You know, I've been impaled. I've been sent to hell. I've been shot. I've been burned. I've been hanged. And I have to say, this is probably THE worst day of my life. I can't even check my email because SOMEONE has the password and won't give it to me, and we're out of pens and I don't know where she keeps them. And Wesley made the coffee and it's really bad!"

The delivery boy stayed quiet, looking almost frightened as Angel finally finished his rant. "Uh... okay. Just the signature, please."

Angel sighed, grabbing the pen and scribbling down his name quickly. He stared thoughtfully at the pen as he was handed the package. "Can I keep this? I don't have any right now."

"Umm... sure, take it."

"Thanks." he answered.

"Angel! Do you know how to send a fax?"

"I thought you knew how!" he called back, walking back into the hotel, glaring at the woman in the middle of the floor.

"I thought I did too, but Giles just bloody called and said all he got was four blank pieces of paper!" Wesley called back.

Cordelia smirked, but merely continued applying the lotion on her legs, saying nothing.

The phone rang, and Angel actually growled at it, turning and looking at Cordelia.

She never looked up, but immediately answered, "Uh-uh. Nope. On strike, remember?"

He growled again, and stumbled toward the phone, picking it up on the fifth ring. "Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless... at least when we're not on strike!"

"HEY! DEMON FIGHTERS!" A loud voice boomed from the entrance, and Angel's eyes narrowed as Cordelia finally seemed to come to life, smiling and turning to see the visitor.

"David! Back so soon?"

"Hi!" The purple cape floated around the dorky millionaire's shoulders, as he jumped down the stairs. "What's going on, guys?"

"Cordelia's on strike," Wesley mumbled, scurrying past to save the coffee pot from being burned to a crisp, apparently after forgetting there was no more water in the pot.

"Really?"

She grinned. "Yeah. Wanna take me to lunch? You can talk about numbers?"

He looked at Angel who was still arguing with the person on the phone, and shrugged. "Okay."

Cordelia grinned, putting her things together, when suddenly she began to tremble, crying out and reaching blindly.

In two seconds Angel was there, catching her before her head hit the ground, holding her trembling form to him.

"Woah, Woah. Wesley! Vision!"

"Right!"

Angel held her body close, steadying her as she whimpered, thrashing, while David looked on in fear.

"What's going on? Is she okay?"

"She's having a vision," Angel mumbled, barely looking in his direction as he sat the woman down, keeping her warm body close to his colder one.  "Cordelia... Cordelia, look at me," his palm slid to her face, stroking softly, and shaking slightly, Cordelia managed to open her eyes.

"Guess those visions never care if I'm on strike or not, do they?" she whispered softly.

He licked his lips, looking down at her tired face, and suddenly Angel understood.

He understood the pain, the need, the magnitude that they depended on a girl. A young woman who had... she hadn't needed this.

But .... there wasn't time-

"Cordelia," he asked, a little more gently and a little more softly. "What did you see?"

She had her hand to her face, and there was a whimper, and suddenly her forehead leaned forward and she slipped into Angel's embrace, a soft sob of pain as she buried herself in his arms.  Her heart was beating so fast against him, and the sensation gave him pause, as her head turned, and her hair fluttered just underneath his nostrils, her body so pliant and soft... and so full of need.

"Cordelia," he whispered thickly.

"I... I'll be okay," she whispered, suddenly leaning back, and wiping the tears away. "It's just... okay, I'm still technically on strike, but... Wesley, pen."

The ex Watcher had a soft smile at her stoic heroism on his face, as he came forward, handing her the pen and a napkin.

She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the napkin, holding it up. "What's this?"

"I don't know where you put the pads," he answered sheepishly.

And she shook her head and immediately scribbled down the information. "Take care of it," she answered, getting up and turning a bit weakly towards Nabbit who looked frozen in horror. "What?" she asked when he continued to stare. "I get visions, they help them. Take me to lunch. On strike, remember?"

"Oh... right. Okay." She linked her arm through David's, more for support than anything and Angel and Wesley watched as she walked toward the arch of the entrance, her last words being, "We gotta talk about the cape, David."

Angel's throat was full, his eyes moist as the young woman stepped out of the hotel.

Wesley cleared his throat, breaking the silence, his voice softer, gentler. "Has she given you terms?"

"Terms?" Angel asked.

"Terms. For coming back to work. I say we give them to her. Within reason that is."

"She just said things have to change, is all." Angel sighed.

Wesley gave him a long look and then turned away. "Then I suggest things change."

Angel didn't say a word, merely looked at the napkin, and pulled on his coat. "Come on. We've got a demon to kill."

~*~

He was bleeding all over his car when he pulled up, and the first thing he thought about was that Cordelia wouldn't help him clean it.

Because Cordelia was on strike.

It was odd, really, how immune she had become to the sight of blood. Grease, dust, dirt, anything dirty, just pissed her off, and got her to whine, but blood? Blood no longer did anything to her. She would feed it to him, get it all over her clothes when one of them was bleeding, and never said a word about it.

The thought made him wonder a whole lot about the contradiction that was Cordelia Chase.

He kept his hand on the claw mark that kept seeping the red stuff, and stumbled out of the car. He had insisted Wesley go home when the British man offered to patch him up. The truth was, this was quite possibly the break he had been waiting for.

No one could resist a bleeding man, right?

He got to the doorway and knocked, waiting a bit as he heard the television  being switched off, and the feet padding to the doorway.

The door opened, and Cordelia's eyes widened as she took in the sight of her boss bleeding from a slash in his left pectoral, leaning against the doorway.

"Hey," he began.

She pursed her lips, crossing her arms. "Hi. Rough day?"

"Uh... yeah. Hey... umm... I know about this strike of yours and all but... uh... truce?"

"Nope."

His eyes widened. "Cordelia, I'm bleeding."

"I know." She smiled a bit. "Are we seeing how much we need me, Angel?"

He glared at her for a full minute, but when she only raised an eyebrow. He hand slid to his shoulder, and finally he sighed. "Okay, fine. What are the terms."

"You agree to them?"

"What are they?"

"They're reasonable."

"Cordelia..." the warning tone in his voice was evident as he turned away, and suddenly he felt her hand slip into his.

"Okay, okay, Truce called, come on, geez. And don't bleed on my couch."

She pulled him inside, putting a towel on the couch and then pushing him onto it, slipping into the kitchen for the first aid supplies.

A pillow floated in the air and came to rest behind his head and Angel shot the air a grateful smile. "Thanks, Dennis."

Cordelia slipped back into the room with the kit and a bottle of peroxide, settling on the coffee table in front of him, her brunette hair falling on his knees as she settled between his thighs.

"Okay, you know the drill, off with the shirt." He tried, and suddenly grimaced, and she sighed, putting down the materials and helping him, her fingers raking against his muscles as he slipped out of it.

There was something about her touch that was so familiar, so loving and affectionate and comforting, and yet, still sent sparks into him, especially when she touched him like this, with her dark eyes wide and concerned, and her face still, her mouth puckered a bit in concentration, never minding the blood, never minding HIM.

It had never occurred to him just how... NICE this was until now... and all because he had spent the whole day without her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and her eyes flickered up from her task of cleaning the gash, her lips tilting up slightly.

"For what?"

"For before. For saying things can't change."

"Ah... yeah well... we still haven't discussed terms, Angel." She gave him a knowing grin and he found himself chuckling as she let her eyes twinkle.

God she had vivid eyes.

Without thinking, his hand rose, his thumb slipped to the corner of her mouth, and when she froze, Angel gently traced the outline of her lower lip, his eyes on it, his voice hoarse. "So what are the terms?"

He could feel her heartbeat racing, and he could feel the warmth radiating from her body, so close to his...

But her face, though a bit shocked, though a bit scared, still held the smile she seemed to reserve only for him as she whispered, "Funny you should ask."

She pressed the remaining gauze to his bare chest and stood, turning and picking up a paper from the coffee table.

"My terms."

He took it, looking at the typed words, and then his eyebrow rose. "Explain?"

"I think it's pretty self explanatory," she remarked, settling into the corner of the couch, bringing her legs up under her thighs. "I won't be bored. I won't be your cure-all pill. I won't be your Martha Stewart, or your all night restaurant."

He felt a smile on his lips as he continued to watch, her eyes twinkling with mirth as she continued ticking away. "I won't be a crutch to lean on. I won't be a Barbie doll, no matter what Gunn says. I won't be just one of the guys. I refuse, I mean REFUSE to be the last in line at ANY event. And Angel... I won't be your lifetime girlfriend, either."

The last statement made the smile on his lips falter, and Angel felt his throat suddenly grow dry as she gave him a sincere look.

Licking his lips, he suddenly felt empty, stupid... idiotic for whatever he had been feeling earlier.

It wasn't like he had ever thought about it... but... now ... "Okay," he said, his voice lower, his face closed. "Got it. Okay."

"Angel." A hand stopped his rise, and when he looked down, Cordelia's eyes were once again smiling. "But."

"There's a but?" he found himself repeating.

And she stared at him for one long minute, and suddenly her face broke out in one of the most gorgeous smiles he had ever seen.

"BUT," she continued. "I'll tell you what I will do." She pulled him back down, and suddenly his palms were trapped in hers, and she continued. "I will be everything you need. If you make me feel like a woman should."

His gaze was caught with hers, and the hazel piercing stare made himself feel suddenly lost, and oddly, found. He felt lost and found and happy and scared, and GOD what was happening here?

"And if I do?"

She cocked her head, and answered simply. "Then I'll do it. The whole Shebang, Angel."

"The whole Shebang?"

"The whole Shebang," she answered.

"Cordelia?" he found himself whispering, his hands suddenly on her jaw, tenderly bringing her face forward.

"Mmmhmm?"

And his lips covered hers gently, the heat of the moist petals flooding through him as her mouth opened under his. His mind exploded, and suddenly he was trembling crushing her to him, holding on to her for dear life, his seer, his friend, his woman, his everything.

He knew, at that moment, that the strike was over, because Cordelia had all her terms. All of them.

Because she was his everything, at that moment, he knew.

Her lips moved under his, her body pressed against his own, and he knew that it wasn't over, that were souls to think about and ages and work and Gunns and Wesley's and Dennis's and atonements.

But none of that seemed to matter now, as she kissed him, as she held him.

Her chest was heaving as he finally pulled his lips from hers, his mouth trailing up to the side of her temple, pressing his lips against it until finally he descended to her ear, whispering gently, "Cordelia?"

Her breathing was labored, but her eyes were shining as she looked up at him.

And in his answer was everything.

"You know I will."

FIN