Ciao Doesn't Necessarily Mean Goodbye






by John O'Connor


Disclaimer: "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Angel The Series"
and their characters are the property of Joss Whedon and
Mutant Enemy. This story is for entertainment purposes only
and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is
intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the
property of the author.


Spoilers: Several especially "Angel The Series": 'You're
Welcome' and "Buffy The Vampire Slayer": 'Chosen'
____________________________________________________




      Part 1


"You're welcome," Cordelia Chase said as she faded from sight
in Angel's office.


Soon she was in the white-on-whiteness Beyond.  She turned
around slowly but saw no one.  "So this is it?" she called.  "This
is what I get to do for the rest of eternity?"


"Patience, Cordelia Chase," a voice said from behind her.  Or
what passed for behind in the Beyond.  "You have just returned.
You will find there is no such constraint as time in your former
mortality."


"Yeah, right.  So what do I do?  There any clubs up here?  Any
parties?  What do you guys do for fun?"


"We observe.  We offer direction.  We are."


"What a load of crap," the former Queen C mumbled.  "What
can I observe?  How?"


"Concentrate on what you wish to see..."


Cordy turned and saw Darla standing there with a gentle smile
on her face.  "Darla!?!  What the fu...  Uh, sorry.  But what the
hell is going on?"


"Hell?"  Darla smiled broadly as she shook her head.  "This is far
from hell."


"Then why are you here?" Cordy asked sharply.  "Darla, the
terror of Europe, the killer of men, women and children, the..."


Gently interrupting the former May Queen, the blonde said, "I
am Darla but I was given a...pardon if you will."


"Pardon?!?  What the fu..." Cordy stopped herself again, "Gotta
watch what I say up here."


"Cordelia, please.  Don't worry about such things.  Language is
a...corporeal function." Darla admonished the new arrival with a
laugh.  "But yes.  I was pardoned because I made the ultimate
sacrifice."


"Language is corpor-whatsis?  What does that mean?  We're
talking."


"No, you perceive it as talking.  We are communicating on a
different plain."


"I see.  No wait, I don't."  Cordy had an idea what this former
vamp was talking about.  Or not talking.  Or...  'Shit!  This is too
much,' Cordy thought before deciding to return to more pertinent
issues...  "You mentioned a sacrifice. You mean for Connor?"


Darla nodded, "Yes, my darling Connor.   He's had a rough time
of it but now...  Let me show you."


Cordy snorted but turned in the direction Darla indicated, looked
at a mass of whiteness and saw a screen form there.  It was one
of the new high-def flat-screen TVs.  "Wow, you guys do get the
best stuff..."


"The image is formed by you.  The...hardware, as you consider
it, is not necessary."


"Whatever," Cordy waved off Darla.  "Show me what you have
to and then go fang someone else..."


The screen came on instantly and a myriad of images came one
after another.  The first was of a baby held by his mother who
cooed at him.


"Connor..." Cordy whispered.  "Angel said the Partners had
altered reality as part of the deal..."


The image changed to a young boy on a tricycle, then a slightly
older boy on a bike, first with training wheels then without.  As
the boy grew up, it became more and more obvious that this
was Connor, Angel and Darla's miracle child.


In most of the images, a loving mother and father were visible.
In some of the later scenes, there were siblings.  Finally, the
scene settled on Connor and his family as they sat at the dinner
table discussing his college plans.


Cordy smiled sadly, "I know Angel is happy for him but is
Connor..."


Darla, next to her, nodded, "Yes.  My darling baby boy is happy.
Happier than he was..."


Still not ready to accept the former vampire, Cordy shook her
head, "What about my friends?  Can I see them?"


"Of course."


The screen showed several of her former coworkers at a bar
near the Wolfram and Hart Building.


There was Gunn, Wesley, Harmony, and Fred.  Lorne was up on
the small stage off to the side crooning some Motown oldie.
They all seemed to be enjoying themselves.


Cordy focused on the volume and was able to hear them.  They
were all congratulating each other on their latest victory and
waiting for she and Angel to arrive.


Fred blushed when Wesley said, "They're probably going to
be...delayed."


Gunn laughed, "Yeah!  They deserve it."


"Hell yeah we do!  Did!  Oh...dammit!" Cordy said to the
whiteness beyond her and her unwanted companion.  And to
add insult, she couldn't even stamp her non-corporeal foot.


Then, on the screen, Angel came in, his face long and solemn,
even for him.  "I just got a call from the hospital.  Cordy
never...woke up.  She's gone."


"What?!?  But she was just..." Wesley said before being
interrupted.


"Yeah.  I guess that was just...her way of saying good-bye.  She
wanted me to...tell you all that..."


Cordy spun from the screen, her eyes leaking tears.  "This isn't
what I want to see.  I want..."


In the background, she heard a loud howl from Fred that
sounded like her name.  With her back to the image, she
whispered, "Fred..."


She again tried to stamp her foot, or rather she made the motion
but the whiteness didn't change and no sound came.  "Dammit!
Can I...can I go back to see them?"


"Why would you wish to be in the corporeal world again?  It has
brought you little but pain in recent years as corporeals reckon
time."


Cordy tried her best pout.


"Will this become a regular occurrence for you Cordelia Chase?"
came a booming voice out of the whiteness.


"Yeah, probably."


"Very well.  You will have the power to interact with your former
friends for a corporeal week.  All but the ones you have met in
your last visit."


"But..."


"There are no buts, Cordelia Chase.  Once you say farewell to
any one of your former associates and leave them, you will not
be able to return to them and be seen."


"Angel?  Wesley?  Fred?"


"This is the way that it is.  Accept it or do not."


"Alright.  You don't have to go all Yoda on me.  Damn!"


The former May Queen found herself in the 'real' world and
thought about who she wanted to see.  Since she was still in the
Southland, she headed for a small apartment in the West
Hollywood area.


She drifted around and landed in the alley.  Walking around the
building, she glanced at the apartment she was looking for.
Cordy noticed a small rainbow sticker was in the corner of one
window, and pumped her fist, saying, "Yes!  I so called it!"


As she rapped on the door, she hoped it wasn't too late.
However, she heard sounds from inside like a radio or
television.


"Just a minute," came from inside while the volume was lowered
on whatever was playing inside.  In a moment, the door opened
and Cordy saw a disheveled Kate Lockley.  "Cordelia Chase?
Wh...what are you doing here?"


"Uh, well, I just wanted to...  May I come in?"  Kate stood there
for a moment and Cordy reached out to touch a small, gold
crucifix hanging around Kate's neck.  "See?  Not a vamp."


Kate stepped aside and let Cordy walk into her home.


Cupping Kate's face, she said, "I've always wanted to do this."


As Cordy kissed the former detective, she kicked the door
closed with her foot.


* * *


The two women spent several long minutes making out on the
couch in Kate's living room.  Long, languorous kisses mixed with
gentle caresses and an occasional grope.


As Kate took Cordy's earlobe and began to nibble on it, Cordy
whimpered and said in a very low voice, "Oh Buffy..."


In horror, she pulled back and looked at Kate. "I...I'm sorry Kate.
I..."


Kate, who hadn't heard Cordelia's ecstatic whisper, looked
puzzled.  "What Cordy?  What is it?"


"Uh, we...  That is I...  Look, I just barged in here and started to
kiss you.  Not exactly what I had in mind."  The brunette decided
not to mention her verbal transgression to the lovely PI.  "I really
came here to say...  Well, to..."


"You're going away," Kate said simply.


"Yeah.  I am.  And I...probably won't be back.  Look, we haven't
always been what you'd call close but I think of you as a friend
and...and I wanted to see you once more before I left."


"So I guess I don't have to worry that I haven't changed my
sheets yet this week?" Kate asked with a self-deprecating smile.


Cordy sat there, visions of she and the former cop in the throes
of passion drifting through her head.  Then she saw herself with
Fred and knew, sadly, that neither would ever happen.  Another
face came to her and she made her decision.  If she only had a
little time, she wanted to spend it with Buffy Summers.


They talked some more and Cordy explained her situation.
Finally, the detective said, "Then you should go.  Be with the
one you were meant to be with.  Especially if you have so little
time."


Smiling her thanks, Cordy still had to ask, "What about you? I
mean, I come on to you and pull away like..." '...Like the tease I
was in high school.'


"Cordy, even under normal circumstances, this would've been a
short-term relationship.  You and I both know that.  I'm more into
the quiet, sensitive types.  No offense."


Cordy laughed, "None taken."  Then a thought struck her, "So, if
you're interested in quiet girls, I have someone you should
call..."


* * *


Once again, standing outside of Kate's apartment, Cordy
considered not being able to see her friends in LA.  'Screw it!'
she thought.  'Gotta at least try.'


Thinking of the pain she saw on the phantom TV, she willed
herself to Fred's apartment.  She had to see if she could pass
some kind of message along to her and the rest.  Somehow
Cordy knew that kissing Angel sealed any possibility of trying to
leave him a message of any kind.


Fred was sitting on her bed, her face buried in her hands as she
cried.  Cordy sat next to her and placed her hand on the girl's
shoulder.


"Fred?  Can you hear me?"


Fred glanced up and looked over at Cordy.  "Is someone there?
Is...is it you Cordelia?"


Cordy leaned close and whispered in the girl's ear, "Fred.  I
never really had the chance to thank you for helping me in
Pylea.  When we were both just...cows.  I love you for that.  And
I wish things could've worked better between us and we could've
been closer.  But timing sucked...


"Just know that I love you.  I love all of you.  Please tell the rest
that.  Especially Angel.


"And, if things don't work out with a certain private eye, give
Wesley a chance.  He's a decent guy and kinda cute too."


Cordy rose to continue her journey, this time to see someone
she could actually contact.


Fred sniffled and mumbled, "I love you, Cordy.  I think I always
have.  I just wish...I would've had the guts to tell you."


Cordy stood there staring.  "You do?  Like...?"


"I never wanted to be with anyone else like I did with you."  The
Texas girl laughed bitterly, "Maybe in the next life."


Cordy knelt in front of the other girl and tried to take her hand.
"Oh Fred, why didn't you say anything?  I...I'll look for you in the
Beyond.  Farewell."


Cordy drifted up and out of Fred's apartment.  Her heart was sad
but knew she couldn't do any more.  She had Eternity for
regrets.


Floating over Los Angeles, she glanced at the Wolfram and Hart
tower and Angel's office with another feeling of loss and regret.
She turned her immaterial face towards Venice.


Harmony.  Harmony?  Did she really want to see the former
Cordette?  In truth, she and Harmony were never really that
close.  She was never really that close with any of her old posse.


Floating over the city, Cordy remembered some heated make-
out sessions with Harmony but they were both young and
curious about what French kissing was all about.


They were in Cordy's bedroom.  The kiss, close-mouthed at first,
slowly grew as their excitement grew.  When Harmony pushed
her tongue into Cordy's mouth, the brunette felt a shock through
her body.


After several minutes of tonsil tickling, as Harmony later called
it, Harm's hand crept up Cordy's sweater to lay on her breast.
But even the shock of that didn't slow the two teens down.  But
when Harmony squeezed, Cordy squealed and jumped up.


And that was the end of that.  Until that night when Harmony
came to Cordy's place when Cordy thought the blonde was
coming on to her.  But she was only hungry and...


The ghost-like woman shook her head.  No, not Harmony.  But
there were some people from her Sunnydale days that meant a
lot to her.  A lot more than those vacuous hangers-on that were
her preferred associates in those days.


That brought memories from her youth.  The one she would love
to see was gone now.  Maybe she could look Joyce up in the
Afterlife...or whatever it was called.


This brought more memories from her youth.  Memories of
friends closer and truer than the Cordettes.  Or the closest the
teen-aged Cordelia Chase had to true friends.


Then, thinking of Xander Harris, she felt herself pulled to the
east, away from the City of Angels.  And other weird things.


Soaring east, she saw the sun rise over the Great Plains.
Looking towards the north, she saw black storm clouds over
what she guessed was Chicago.  'Real storm or
something...evil?'


"Cleveland?  Cleveland?!?  What the fuck is he doing in
Cleveland?"


Her essence floated down over downtown Cleveland and on
towards the east side of the city.  There were traces of a recent
snowfall in some of the shaded areas but the temperature was
surprisingly mild.  Especially for a lakefront city in February.


There was a low, industrial wasteland near the river that was
almost like a gouge in the surface.  A naked wound that cut
through the city.  Even the few patches of pure snow there
looked tainted.


Soaring over it, the dark-haired young woman thought, 'Hmm...
a girl could get used to this.'


She came to what seemed to be an upscale suburb and finally
to a large house.  A small mound of snow in the front yard
attested to a snowman who hadn't survived the mild weather.


Landing on the porch, she saw the name Harris over the
doorbell.  Pushing the button, she waited for a moment.  The
dark-haired young woman thought, Hmm... a girl could get used
to this.


A young girl, she couldn't be more than 17, answered the door.
The girl had short, auburn hair and a British accent. "Yes?"


"Uh, I'm...uh, is Xander here?"


"Oh.  Sorry, he's out."  The girl turned and yelled into the house,
"Hey!  Some hottie is at the door asking for Xander."


The girl turned back and asked, "It's the patch isn't it?  Makes
him look dashing and..."


"Patch?" Cordy asked as she heard footsteps from inside
approaching the door.  They heralded the last person she
expected to see.


"Hey Queen C!  How's it hanging'?"


"F...  Faith?!?"


"Yep!  Although I've been going by Trudy lately.  Or Tru.  What
d'ya think of my new look?"


Cordy stood there stunned as Faith, or Trudy, spun around.
Her hair was lighter, more brown than black and she was
wearing a...skirt!?!  And pumps...


"Whoa.  This is..."  Cordy stopped and shook her head. 'No
leather?  She looked good in leather too,' Cordy thought.  'In and
evil and twisted way...'


"So you lookin' for the X-man?"  Cordelia nodded.  "Well, he
works third shift at the port.  Third kinda sucks but he loves the
work and makes some pretty good change.  And we need the
money.  Takes a lot to feed an entire school of teenagers."


"Y-yeah, I guess it would..."


"Wow, C, you're lookin' good for a chick who was in a coma
after babyin' a demon."  Faith was looking pointedly at Cordy's
open shirt front and the exposed cleavage.


"Uh, yeah...  I, uh..."


"Oh, don't worry.  I ain't gonna jump ya or anything.  Just that
my time...at that resort gave me more of an appreciation of the
female form."  Faith winked as she added, "And we got some
fine forms here.  Not that I would do anything.  Reformed, you
know."


"Uh-huh."


"Gosh C, you are positively running off at the mouth."


"Yeah, well..."


Faith smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand.  "Shit!
Of course.  Last time you saw me, I was still psycho-girl.  I
apologized to you after Wes sprung me from the joint but I just
remembered that wasn't you.  Well, not exactly."


"Wha...?  Um, I'm not sure..."


"Listen C, I'm really reformed now.  I...just needed a little
guidance and Angel and the Buff-ster helped me with that.  No
more psycho-girl.  I'm just the trainer here."


"Here?  Cleveland?"


"Yeah, well after Sunnydale went bye-bye, we needed to start a
slayer academy somewhere so here we are."


"Okay...okay...  Why are you in...Cleveland?"


"We're not technically in Cleveland but..."


"Whatever," Cordy said, rolling her eyes.  'What's a girl got to do
to get a straight answer around here?'


"Well, there's another Hellmouth.  Here in the Cleveland area."


"Another Hellmouth?"


"Yeah.  Turns out there are a lot of them around.  Sunnydale's
was the strongest but now..."


"So...Cleveland."


"Yep.  Been active for a while too.  Ever hear 'bout the
Cleveland Torso Murders?"


Cordy shook her head, knowing she'd hear about these torsos,
whether she wanted to or not.


"Well, back in the '30s - so I have an alibi - there were at least
twelve bodies found.  Each was missing his or her head.  Some
were missing fingers or other...things.  If you get my drift.


"Most of the bodies were either found in Kingsbury Run, that lil'
ol' wasteland over that way," Faith gestured towards the west.
"Or in the river.  Most of the heads...and other parts were never
found.


"Eliot Ness...  You know?  'The Untouchables'?  Well, he was in
town then and headed up the investigation.  After a few years, a
doctor, Frank Sweeney, was fingered as the killer but all the
evidence was circumstantial.


"Anyway, the murders stopped but that was the beginning of less
well-known weirdness."


Faith paused and Cordy took a breath.  "Really?  Well, wow,
that's...more than I needed to know.  Really."


Laughing, Faith said, "Yeah, just be glad the X-man didn't tell
you.  He has the whole she-bang practically memorized.
Names, dates, missing body part..."


"Sounds like Xander.  A head full of trivia."


"Yeah, trivia and some other stuff...  Anyway, remember when
the Cuyahoga caught fire?  Well, by remember I mean from any
recent-history class?"


"The Kaya-what?"


"The Cuyahoga.  The river that cuts through town?  Over near
the Run?  In the '70s part of it caught fire.  The official cause
was pollution but that was just a smoke screen - no pun
intended.  It was really..."


Cordelia stamped her foot and waved her hands in front of the
slayer, "Faith?  Here's me not caring.  Fire on the water?  Didn't
know.  Don't care."


"Oo-kay. And call me Tru," Faith/Tru said with a smile.


Cordy's thoughts shifted quickly from 'Will Faith hit me for
interrupting?' to 'She's got the cutest dimples.'


"So...what does bring you to this merry little corner of Ohio?"
Faith asked, breaking Cordelia's train of thought.


"I was..."  The former May Queen was interrupted.


"Cordy?  Cordelia?!?"  Xander grabbed Cordy from behind in a
bear hug and spun her around on the porch.  "How are you?
You look hot..."  Releasing her only to spin her around, he
smirked and said, "Uh, I mean, you look great!"


Cordy looked at Xander, her eyes focusing on the eye patch
over his left eye.  "You look..."


"Like a pirate?  I know.  The girls even bought a parrot for me."


"Girls?"  Cordy remembered Faith mentioning an academy.
"Right, a slayer school.  So these are all...slayers?"


"Slayers in training.  SITs I call 'em.  Usually."


"And you're in charge?  Captain Hormone's in charge?"


Xander's smile froze as he replied, "Actually Willow is but she's
off looking for new slayers.  Seems like one girl in every
hundred thousand actually has the potential.  And since..."


"Hey, don't short-change me!  Who d'ya think teaches these
babes in the woods how ta fight?"


"Sorry Tru."  Xander asked, "Oh, did she tell you?  Her name's
Trudy now."


Nodding and smiling to soften her words, Cordy said, "Yeah, that
and a bunch else I didn't really care about."


"Headless torsos and flaming rivers," Faith/Tru mock-whispered
to Xander.


Xander's face lit up, "Oh!  The Torso Murders!  Well..."


"Yo, X-man!  Been there, talked about it.  Time to move on."
Turning to Cordelia, she said, "By the way, our favorite little
witch, Willow, put some whammy on the X-man and it's like that
thing where people start swearing uncontrollably?  Except with
the X-man, he just says what's on his mind..."


"Thank you Tru!" Xander said tersely.  "I am getting better..."
Turning his attention to the other brunette Xander asked, "So,
Cordelia, what are you doing along the sunny coast of Lake
Erie?"


"Let's talk...somewhere else," Cordy said as she led Xander off
the porch.


"Hey, don't worry about me!  Got plenty to do!"


"Bye Fai...uh, Trudy," Cordelia said as she stepped off the
porch.


Faith/Tru called after the pair, her eyes locked on the tight
denim covering Cordelia's butt.  "Man, I knew there was
something I forgot to do to her when I was evil!"  With a good-
natured chuckle, she slapped the back of her hand, saying, "Bad
Faith!  Be good!  Be Tru!"


Watching the two walk off, her eyes still focused on Cordy's
denim-clad rear which raised some interesting thoughts for the
former dark slayer.


"Hmm...it's about the time Erica uses the shower.  Wonder if she
'forgot' to close the bathroom door again?" the former dark
slayer mused as she entered the house.


* * *


On a nearby corner was an old tavern.  The exterior was dirty
stucco and the facade was crowned by a weathered bas-relief
advertising Carling's Black Label Beer.


Inside, it was dark but not the dive Cordy expected.  It was
actually nicer than the Bronze in Sunnydale.  Well, a Bronze
with the ingrained aroma of beer and cigarettes common to
most older taverns around the world.


On their left, the bar, an old oaken beauty, ran along one wall.
Booths ran the opposite wall with tables between.  On the walls
were antique pictures of Cleveland, the Indians and the Browns.
At the far end there was a small stage and an open area for
dancing flanked on the right side by a brightly-lit jukebox.


Xander saw Cordy looking at the sparsely-decorated walls and
said, "Big sports hangout when the Tribe's on TV.  And Sundays
during football season.  And, believe it or not, this joint really
gets hopping in the evenings.  It's a popular place for the people
our age."


Cordy didn't say anything to this so Xander added, "They've got
a great jukebox.  Tons of alternative and jazz on CD.  Cold Play,
Nickelback, Moby, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Spyro Gyro..."


"Jazz?  You?"


Xander just nodded as he asked, "Booth, table or bar?"


"Uh, booth I guess."


Xander led her back to a booth as he signaled to a young blonde
manning the bar, "Tressa, this is Cordelia.  Cordy, this is
Tressa."


The young blonde smiled at Cordy, "Cordy?  Chase?"  Cordelia
nodded, a little unsure what to expect.  Tressa smiled widely,
"So you and Long John here were quite the item I hear."


Clearing his throat, Xander interrupted, "Two Micks, Tressa."


"You got it, Long John!"


At Cordy's raised eyebrow, he muttered, "Long John Silver?
'Treasure Island'?"


"Right..."


Tressa called back, "Don't you believe it!"  Xander reddened as
Cordy chuckled.


In a few moments, two bottles of Michelob and two glasses were
on their table.  Cordy didn't bother to tell Xander that it was
rather too early in the morning for her.  After all, for him this was
the equivalent of late afternoon.


"So, Cordelia Chase.  As I live and breath..." Xander said as he
rapped his knuckles on the wooden table top.  "What brings you
to Drew Carey-town?"


"I can't stay long.  I just wanted to come by and...  I wanted to
say goodbye.  I never really did after graduation and..."


"Water under the bridge.  Said bridge now underground but what
can you do?"  Xander grinned his goofy, lop-sided grin.  "So, this
is goodbye?  We didn't even say hello."


"Xander, I'm serious.  When you're young, you think you have all
the time in the world.  No rush trying to make things right
with...friends."


"Hey, you're still young.  And even hotter than...  Oops!  That
last part was supposed to stay in my head."


"Thank you anyway," Cordy said with a big grin.


"So you leaving right this minute?"  Cordy shook her head.
"Well then, let's chat.  Get caught up."


"Okay.  Me first.  You and Faith?  I mean Tru?"


Xander shook his head.  "Nope.  That time in high school was
almost enough to put me off sex forever so there'd be no way
with her - reformed or not.


"Anyway, while she claims she's still into guys, I do believe she's
been sampling some of the older SITs. Those over the age of
consent that is."


"Really?  Isn't that...like, illegal?"


"Not really.  Kinda kinky though...like the old fantasy of the
school girl and Miss Calendar..."


"Xander..."


"Sorry.  Anyway, all her...students have all been of legal age.
And, to tell the truth, evil or not, Faith is pretty hot.  And her
tastes..."


Holding up a hand, Cordy said, "Xander, I do not need to hear
any weird lesbian adolescent fantasies from you."


"Too bad.  One had you and Buffy...  Damn it Willow!"  Xander
looked like he wanted to crawl under the table for a moment.
"Sorry, Cordelia.  I didn't mean to say..."


Cordy had to laugh at the anguished look on her former
boyfriend's face.  "It's okay, Xander.  Actually we talked about
that once."


"Oh yeah, in the broom closet outside the Home Ec class.  I told
you about the love-hate rumors about you and Buffy and you
said you actually thought Buffy was sexy.  You had an
interesting look in your eye as I recall.  Then you changed back
into the Cordelia we all knew and barely tolerated then, saying
that you'd rip my eyes out if I ever repeated it.


"Ya know, it kinda sucks that Cowboy-From-Hell beat you to one
of  'em.  Never even got to mention that tidbit."


Cordy, her face reflecting her anguish over Xander's sacrifice,
took his hand.  "I'm so sorry, Xander.  Not just your eye or even
Anya but all those others that were killed.   I really wish I
could've been there to help but..."


"I know.  You had your own issues at the time - like being
mystically pregnant and evil." Xander squeezed the slender
hand in his and smiled sadly.  "You know, Anya and I...well, we
were talking again but...  Anyway, about you and Buffy...you're
okay with that?


"Goddammit Willow!" Xander yelled as he realized what he'd
just said.


"With high school rumors?  From a literal hole-in-the-ground
town? Who cares?  With your fantasies?  Eew!!!  So not okay!"
Although, truth be told, Cordy own thoughts were definitely
centered on the cute little blonde slayer.


Xander shook his head thinking he'd never understand women.


"What's not to understand?"


"Ah jeez!  I said that out loud too, didn't I?  I gotta get hold of
Will and have her un-whammy me."


"Why did she...whammy you in the first place?"


"She and Kennedy...  This was when they were still together.
Anyway, they were going to bed and she said I had a look on my
face and if I was going to think it, I may as well say it."


"Oh, poor Xander.  Cursed with honesty.  So why isn't Buffy here
teaching?"


"I think Buffy didn't like the way Dawn looked at Faith once.
Oops! I mean looked at Tru.  I think that's the first time I made
that slip since Tru offered to neuter me.  Anyway, suddenly it's
off to Rome for the Summers' girls.


"And I miss them too."


Cordy's two main thoughts were competing for attention.  One
was circling around Rome and the other was actually feeling
some sympathy for Xander.


Two hours later, Xander stretched and said, "This has been
great but I'm starved.  You wanna go back to the house for
breakfast?"


"Well, let's get outta here anyway."


Xander nodded but headed for the bar to share a few words with
Tressa before he joined the brunette at the door.


Outside, they both were squinting in the bright morning light.
"So, you and Tressa then?"


Xander had a big, goofy grin plastered across his face, "Yep.
We met...oh, must've been a few months ago and just hit it off."


"So her Long John comment?  Gotta tell the truth, Harris!"


Again red-faced, Xander simply said, "She...uh, she seems to
be...ah...satisfied."


"Good.  I think you two make a cute couple."  Xander looked at
Cordy silently for several seconds.  "What?!?"


"Where's the insult?  The scathing comment.  The witty, cutting
bon mot."


"I'm serious, Xan.  I like her and I can tell she really likes you.
We chatted when you were in the men's room.  I hear you might
even go to college?"


"God..." Xander moaned.  "Just don't tell Tru or any...  College is
between us and Tressa for now, okay?"


"Okay," Cordy smiled.


"Thanks.  But I gotta tell you, I was kinda hoping you'd be a little
jealous."


Placing a hand on his arm, Cordelia said, "I am...a bit.  You and
Angel...  Well, you two are really the only two men in my life that
mattered.  And, in both cases, we never got that far along before
something came along and...


"Xander, I want you to be happy."


Xander smiled and the two old friends continued down the
street.  "I'm still real sorry about Willow and..."


"Xander, here's me reminding you about water and bridges."
They both chuckled in the morning sunshine.


As they neared the house, Cordy stopped, taking Xander's hand.
"I meant what I said.  I have to say goodbye.  This is sort of like
my last chance before..."


As her eyes lifted skywards, Xander nodded with a sad smile,
"The Powers That Be?  Great gig I hear.  Good luck with it."


"No luck.  Just a lot of patience.  It's soooo boring up there!"


The two old lovers laughed together for the last time.


"Cordelia, I am going to miss you.  I've actually missed you
since...  Well, make sure you put in a good word for Cap'n
Morgan."


Cordy smiled, "Throw in a bottle of spiced rum and you gotta
deal."


"Off to the Great Beyond now?"


"No.  Still want to see Buffy." Cordy added quickly, "And
Willow."


"Uh-huh," Xander replied, noting the hesitation after Buffy was
mentioned.  And didn't he notice that earlier too?  "Don't know
what kind of hurry you're in but Will is going to stop in Rome
before coming back here.  She should be there tomorrow or the
day after.  Two birds, one stone?"


Cordy kissed Xander tenderly on the cheek as they hugged.
"Goodbye Alexander.  Be well."


As her form started to fade, she smiled at her old beau, "Take
care of that girlfriend of yours or I'll come back and haunt your
sorry ass!"


"Good bye Cordelia," Xander said to the empty air.


* * * * * *


      Part 2


Crossing the Atlantic faster than she ever had, even when her
father had managed to get them tickets on the Concorde,
Cordelia saw the European coast coming up fast.


'At least the weather's nice,' she thought as her non-corporeal
form soared over the Alps.


Coming into the Eternal City, she realized it was already
afternoon for the modern-day Romans.  'Maybe she's having
lunch or...'


As she began to settle to the pavement in a neighborhood full of
Renaissance Era apartment buildings near the Tiber, a totally
unexpected fear grabbed Cordy's intangible heart in a near-
deathgrip.  'What if she's got a boyfriend?'


As her body regained physicality, she saw Buffy heading up the
street with a bag of food cradled in her arm.  The blonde Slayer
was fishing for keys in a surprisingly fashionable purse.


"Ciao Bella. Need a hand?"


Buffy, surprised to hear English, turned and dropped the bag.
She launched herself at the mysterious visitor, grabbing the
woman by the throat with one hand as her legs wrapped around
the slim waist. One fist cocked back as she saw the woman for
the first time.


"Cordelia?!?"


"Well, this is one of the most unusual welcome hugs of all time!"
The brunette smiled, her white teeth flashing in the Italian sun.


Chagrined, Buffy released Cordelia and stood speechless.
Cordelia rubbed her throat and chuckled, "Glad the sun's out.
Otherwise I might be picking splinters out of my chest..."


Naturally Buffy's eyes moved down to Cordelia's cleavage and
goggled.  Had the former May Queen gotten larger?  From the
sensation as she had gripped Cordelia, she knew they were
natural.


"So...sorry.  Cordelia, what are you doing here?  I...  I heard you
were in a coma in LA."


With a smile, Cordy shrugged and said, "Would you believe I
got better?"


"I guess..."


"Anyway, long story of water under the bridge."  'How many
times am I gonna milk that phrase?' The brunette stooped down
to collect the spilled groceries as she asked, "So how are you?
And why Europe?"


Buffy knelt down and grabbed half a large loaf of bread. "Uh,
after Sunnydale, I...  Well, it would've been hard to get Dawn
into a normal school quickly with all the lost records.  Giles has
contacts and got her into a couple of schools over here.  We...
I've got that," she said as she grabbed a small container of
stewed tomatoes.  "We decided to come here since it seemed
pretty unlikely there'd be much evilness near the Holy City."


"Garlic?  For cooking or..." Cordy smirked, holding up a small
bundle of cloves.


"Uh, cooking.  I'm actually pretty good," Buffy replied.  "Why are
you here?"


"Things got a little...weird in LA.  And I wanted to...see the old
gang.  I met up with Xander and Faith...I mean Tru.  That was in
Cleveland."  Cordy snorted in amusement, "Who would've
thought Cleveland had a Hellmouth?"


"Who would've thought Sunnydale did?"


"Point to Buffy," Cordy agreed.  "I had no idea that all the
badness when I was a kid was...  Anyway, I had to come to see
you and Willow and Dawn...  Well, not Dawn since I never really
knew her.  Actually, I still don't.  Guess that's thanks to TPTB."


"Tiptib?"


"Uh, the Powers That Be.  You know, sort of our...guardian
angels except they don't do much in the guardian area."


"O-oka-ay..."  Then Buffy, disbelief in her voice, asked, "But you
don't know Dawn?  I thought the monks..."


"I do know her.  The Cordy part of me knows her but the
ascended...  The part that I got when I got control of my
seeriness doesn't.  I know her.  And I know she's real but I know
she wasn't real before.  Kinda weird I guess."


It was Buffy's turn to smirk, "Just like...everything."


"Only since I met you, Slayer."  Cordy's smile belied the sting in
her taunt.  "So where is Dawn?  Guess I should meet her for
real."


"School's on a break so she's on a trip across Europe with some
of her friends.  I think they're in Amsterdam now."


Cordy bit back her comment about the loose morals of the
Dutch city, much less some of the kinkier clubs there.  Instead
she said, "Too bad."


"She'll be home in a couple of days.  After going to Berlin
anyway."


Thinking 'I won't be here in a couple of days,' Cordy said, "Well,
you gonna invite me in?  I did help you pick up the food."


"That you caused me to drop..."  Buffy shook her head and
smiled, "I guess so.  You are in sunlight so I don't guess I gotta
worry about you vamping out on me."


"Nope.  I never was good at vamping, at least not since high
school.  And I would kick any vampire in the nads before he
could put the bite on me."


"What about the girl vamps?"


"A good kick in the nads works on them too.  Just gotta have the
touch...so to speak."


"Or good, pointy shoes," Buffy added with a smile. "C'mon in."


Cordy followed Buffy into a modern Western European
apartment full of touches of the United States.  It was dominated
by a large-screen TV and a pretty impressive sound system.  A
set of bookshelves held CDs and DVDs, most apparently in
English.


"You speak Italian?" Cordy asked, glancing at the newspaper on
a table.


"A little.  And read it too.  Thanks to Willow mainly but I'm
picking up a lot on my own to supplement the spell."


"'American Pie'?  'South Park'?  'Pirates Of The Caribbean'?
Oh, that's a good one," Cordy remarked as she looked at the
DVDs.


"We wanted to get away but still wanted it to feel like home, ya
know?"


Cordy nodded.  And the décor was continental enough to remind
her of better times with her mother and father but the American
touches made it more homey.  When she was younger and they
traveled, she often wished the too-European places they stayed
had a little more of America.  And, conversely, she tried to bring
as much of Europe back with her to California.  The apparent
contradiction never bothered Cordy, she knew she was far too
wrapped up in herself in those days.


On entering the apartment, Buffy kicked off her canvas deck
shoes, striding into the kitchen barefoot.  Cordy saw this and did
the same, shoving her socks into the shoes she left in the entry
hall next to Buffy's.


"So why are you really here Cordelia?"


"Well, to see you.  There are things...going on and I just needed
to catch up with everyone before they...  Well, while I had the
chance."


"Must've cost a fortune to fly here.  And I know money isn't
spilling out of your pocketbook these days."  Buffy instantly
regretted her lack of tact since Cordy was being so nice.  And a
real nice, not the old fake-nice Cordy used when she needed
something.  "Sorry.  I..."


"Don't be.  And the flight was no biggie."


Deciding to be diplomatic at the very least, Buffy said, "You
hungry?  I wasn't planning much but I have some leftover sauce
and can cook up some pasta pretty quickly."


Cordy grinned, "That sounds great.  I haven't eaten in...a while.
Can I help?"  Seeing the look on Buffy's face, she said, "I can
cook, believe it or not."


Chuckling, Buffy said, "I'll believe that when I see it.  C'mon, you
can help with the salad.  Consider it a screen test."


"Deal."


The chatting continued as they worked in the small kitchen,
occasionally bumping into each other.  At one point, Buffy's
hand brushed over Cordelia's full blouse and she felt the small,
hard nipple.


"Uh, sorry."


Cordy shrugged, "It's okay."  Then she lied, "Didn't bother me."


"Can you get the colander?  Over there above the counter?"


With a pout, Cordelia grabbed the strainer and said, "I know
what a colander is."


"Sorry, Cordelia."


"S'okay."


Buffy snorted, "You know, when Mom was still...  She asked me
to get the colander and I grabbed the calendar off the wall,
wondering what the hell she needed that for."


"No!" Cordy guffawed.  "What were you, like 10?"


Buffy turned red as she poured the pasta into the colander to
drain.  "Uh, no.  I was...like 16."


Cordy just shook her head as she used two large, wooden
spoons to toss the ingredients.


In moments, Buffy had two plates piled with steaming pasta and
a home-made marinara sauce.  Placing them on the counter
that separated the front room from the kitchen, she grabbed
smaller plates and asked Cordy to put the salad and the bread
on the counter between the plates.


As an afterthought, Buffy opened the refrigerator and grabbed a
bottle of red wine.  "No Italian dinner is complete with out the
vino."


"Perfect!" Cordy agreed.


As dinner progressed and the two former classmates talked,
Cordelia was relieved at how natural it all seemed.  After their
high school years with the constant bitching and near-catfights,
she had been worried that her trip to see the Slayer would've
been a waste of time.


Buffy was also surprised by how comfortable she felt with
Cordelia.  How easy it was to talk to her.  This impromptu dinner
was quickly becoming one of her favorites since arriving in
Rome.


Dinner was finally finished and Buffy took the dishes and set
them in the sink.  They refilled their glasses and Buffy walked
towards the window, Cordy followed.


Outside, the sun was nearing the roof of a small church west of
the apartment.  It's spire was sharply delineated.  The sky was
banded with color as night drew on.


"It's beautiful," Cordy whispered.


Buffy turned to look at the brunette and agreed, "Yes, beautiful."


Embarrassed, she turned away just as Cordelia turned to her.
"Buffy, it's getting late and..."


"It's only 5:30.  Most people here haven't even eaten yet."


"No.  Late for..."  Cordy smiled sadly, "I came here to say..."


"You have to leave?" Buffy said, a hint of sadness in her tone.


Cordy understood what Buffy was feeling.  She had been
enjoying the evening more than any she could remember.  But a
nagging little voice was repeatedly telling her she was running
out of time.  The beautiful brunette came to a quick, fateful
decision.


"Oh, fuck it!" she declared as she gently caught Buffy's face in
her hands and brought the smaller woman to her for a searing
kiss.  Cordy was surprised when Buffy didn't pull away.  She was
thrilled when she felt the blonde's lips open slightly under hers.


Then Cordy stunned herself by pulling back.  She gazed at Buffy
and saw her eyes were closed.


Truth time, Cordy decided.  "Buffy, I want you.  I've wanted you
since...well since the day we met, I guess.  I just never realized
it and so we did the whole snark fest.  But now, after everything
that's happened and will happen and won't happen...  I knew I
had to try.  Now.  If you want me to leave, just say so.  I'll go and
never bother you again."


Buffy stood silently before Cordelia for a long time, her mind
jumbled with random thoughts.  'What the hell?!? Cordelia
kissed me?!? This is a girl.  This is Cordelia Chase. But I haven't
had sex since Sunnydale.  And that was Spike!  Why did she
kiss me? Why didn't I push her away? I've been curious but...  I
thought she was with Angel now. What would Willow say?
Thank God Dawn's not home.  Willow would say go for it.  I was
kissed by Cordelia, the queen bitch of Sunnydale High!  Kissing
another girl...that's disgusting.  But there was that girl at the club
by the Tiber...  Still...a girl?!?  Cordy's a nice kisser.  What
would Angel say? What if I...  I can't, I'm straight.  That club
chick doesn't count - it wasn't even a real kiss.  Not like with
Cordy...  Anyway, what would Dawn think?  Cordy really is so
pretty.  Can I do this with Xander's ex-girlfriend?  Mom wanted
me to be happy.  Would this...'


"Buffy?" Cordy asked worriedly.


Buffy finally opened her eyes, her mind suddenly calmed as she
looked up at her guest and smiled shyly.  "Wow. That
was...nice."


Cordy sighed inwardly in relief.  Her pulse quickened when Buffy
asked, in a very un-slayer-like voice, "Kiss me again?"


Cordy again placed her hands gently on each side of Buffy's
face and leaned down, pressing her lips against the other girl's.
Buffy's lips parted and Cordy, her heart singing, slid her tongue
inside.


Buffy was surprised by how gentle and loving this was.  Soft and
wet and sensual.  So quietly exciting and arousing.  Like the first
time she kissed Angel, it was special and oh-so memorable.  But
this was quickly becoming the most exciting kiss of her life.
There was none of the hyper-active frenzy of her later
encounters with Angel.  Or the desperate, almost painful need
with Spike.  Just desire and...and love.


The need and the desire here was simple and from the heart.  It
was a warm glove enfolding the two women as they learned to
share their wants and desires...and their joys, wordlessly.


The setting sun bathed the blonde and the brunette in red.  This
uncannily reflected the suddenly growing heat within each girl.
The kiss deepened and Buffy's tongue snaked it's way into
Cordy's mouth.  Her arms slowly wrapped around the brunette,
holding her tightly.


Cordy's arms had moved down and she was embracing the
Slayer tightly as well.  This was a moment she wanted to
remember forever - long after she had risen.  The feel of Buffy,
the taste of Buffy's mouth, her tongue...they were all exquisite.


Finally, Buffy pulled back, her arms still curled around Cordy's
waist.  "Whoa!  That was...intense!"


Smiling at the Slayer, Cordy only nodded.


"Cordy, I...uh...  Wow, this is so much to take in.  I mean I
kissed a girl and...I loved it!"


Cordy glanced towards the bedrooms and Buffy saw her eyes.
"Uh, Cordelia, I'm not sure I'm ready for that...  Not yet."


A sick feeling hit Cordy as she thought she'd never have another
chance like this.


At the stricken look on Cordelia's face, Buffy said, "Cordelia, it's
not that I wouldn't.  I think I might want to but I need some time."


"How much time?" Cordy blurted.


"Uh, I don't know.  A day?  Two?  A week?"


"A month?  A year?  Ever?" Cordy said bitterly.


Buffy kissed Cordy briefly.  "No.  I don't think so.  I think I might
want to but right now my body is way ahead of my...head.  The
last time I let that happen, I got involved with Spike and..."


"I'm not Spike.  I'm not Spike-like or Spike-ish or anything.  I
don't chain smoke or use weird British phrases. I don't look like
some Billy Idol wannabe or bleach my hair.  Well, not anymore.
And my attitude is a helluva lot nicer.  And I happen to think I'm
a lot prettier than he is."


Buffy laughed at Cordy's rant.  "Yes, you are.  And you aren't
like Spike."


"Then why not?  Buffy, I...can't explain but have a lot of time.
And I don't think I'll...we'll have another chance."


Confused, the Slayer wished she had someone to advise her.
'But who?  Giles?'  Buffy laughed at the thought.


Then she decided to let her desire and curiosity take control,
Buffy lunged at Cordy, thrusting her tongue deep into Cordy's
mouth.  She lifted herself up and wrapped her legs around the
brunette while Cordelia moved her hands down to support the
Slayer.


"Okay..." Cordy said as Buffy pulled her face back.  "This is
much nicer than when you had me scissored outside."


Buffy nodded, "Yes it is.  Now...  Take me.  Ravish me.  I want
you to, Cordy."


Cordelia beamed, "Okay Ms. Harlequin Romance Novel."


The Seer carried the Slayer towards the bedroom while Buffy
started to nibble on her neck.  'Wow, when Buffy makes a
decision, she doesn't mess around.  Then again, I hope she
does...'


About to enter the left room, she was stopped when Buffy said,
"No!  That's Dawn's room..."


Sensing the return of Buffy's hesitancy, Cordy kissed her quickly
and thoroughly.  She carried her soon-to-be lover into the other
bedroom and, with another brief kiss, set Buffy gently on the
large bed.  She knelt before the blonde and they resumed
kissing while hands began to explore.


Taking the initiative, Cordy pulled up the hem of Buffy's t-shirt
and slid her hands under the white cotton.  Her questing fingers
happily found no bra to impede her and her nimble fingers
traced the edges of the Slayer's hard nipples.


Buffy was leaning forward, her mouth sealed with Cordy's while
her hands squeezed and caressed the Seer's denim-clad ass.
One hand slid further down and caressed the brunette between
her legs from behind.  Cordy moaned into Buffy's mouth at the
girl's touch.


'Hmm, this girl isn't a complete stranger to the idea of loving
another girl,' Cordy thought happily.


Soon, Cordy broke the kiss to pull off her lover's top.  After
seeing the Slayer's small but perky tits, she had to have them.
She kissed Buffy as she began to caress her now-bare breasts.
Then the Queen of Sunnydale High trailed soft kisses down
Buffy's jaw and neck, stopping to suckle near the blonde's pulse-
point.


Buffy threw her head back, baring her throat, as she moaned,
"Oooo, Cordeliaaaa..."


The brunette's hands continued to gently knead Buffy,
occasionally caressing or lightly gripping a hard nipple while she
marked the Slayer as hers.  She held the flesh between her
teeth while sucking hungrily, feeling the heat and the throb of
Buffy's pulse on her tongue as it laved the taut skin.


That hungry, questing mouth moved down along the Slayer's
collar bone which led to Buffy's shallow cleavage.  Cordy buried
her face between the other girl's smaller breasts, inhaling the
scent of Buffy.  Kisses followed as she explored that much-
desired valley and the mini-peaks flanking it.


Feeling a growing level of excitement unlike anything she'd
experienced with Angel, Riley or Spike, Buffy growled.  And her
new lover hadn't even touched the hard nipples or their dark
haloes.


Then Cordy bit the hard nub of Buffy's left breast, worrying it like
a dog with a new toy, albeit more gently.  As her teeth tugged on
the swollen flesh, Buffy moaned loudly.  When the Seer's
tongue tip flashed rapidly back and forth over the tip, Buffy let
her head fall back as she moaned even louder.  Then the
brunette moved to the other nipple, copying her actions.


For several minutes, Cordy moved from one to the other.  She
would either bite and flay the tip of the Slayer's nipple or suckle
as much of the soft flesh into her mouth as she could.


The Slayer was moaning constantly now - almost a continuous
wail of pleasure. Her head was thrown back as wave after wave
of erotic pleasure coursed through her body.  Her body was so
turned on that her own hair brushing her bare back was exquisite
torture.


It had never been like this with Angel, Riley, Spike or...anyone.
She was so close but Cordy kept her quivering on the edge.  It
was deliciously maddening.


"God Cordy!  Please!"


Cordy pushed Buffy back on the bed and quickly opened then
pulled off the girl's jeans.  She saw the damp...the sodden patch
in the white cotton panties and could smell the Slayer's musky
arousal.


Quickly pulling the panties down, Cordy gazed at the neatly
trimmed triangle above the swollen, red lips.  'So not a natural
blonde,' she thought humorously.


Buffy was watching Cordy, looking for some reaction from the
former cheerleader.  What she saw would've been ludicrous in
any other situation but at the moment, Buffy felt relieve and
pride.


'Cordy licked her lips!  She's looking at my...pussy and licking
her lips!'


Cordy, unaware of her actions, bent forward and pulled the lips
apart.  The fruit of Buffy's arousal made them hold together just
a bit then they popped open and Cordy could see into the Slayer
and the slightly puckered inner lips.


As the brunette's tongue touched her for the first time, Buffy
cried out slightly and her head fell back onto the mattress.  Her
body quivered and quaked as Cordy explored every millimeter
of her sex.  That soft tongue tickled the outer lips, probed the
inner lips then moved around to explore the flesh between them.


Tasting the Slayer everywhere, Cordy held back somewhat.
She wanted to tease her prey a little more before giving Buffy
her release.  She randomly moved her lips and tongue around
the swollen, wet heat, tasting and feeling every bit of Buffy's
sex.  She avoided probing too deeply into the girl and avoided
her clitoris completely.


After spending several long minutes happily torturing the girl
before her, Cordy relented and slipped the tip of her tongue into
the wet channel.  She slipped a little more in and then a bit more
until she was able to feel the buttery softness squeezing her.


'Mmm...Buffy goodness,' Cordy thought as she tasted the
essence of the girl splayed out before her.  She sealed her
mouth around the girl's pussy as her tongue explored the wet
heat.


The girl jerked when Cordy's tongue tip brushed a small node of
nerve endings.  When the brunette brushed it again, Buffy
jerked harder - almost dislodging the source of her pleasure.


'This is getting serious,' Cordy thought happily.  She gently held
the Slayer's hips as she continued pleasuring the girl before her.
Her work was cut out for her as she probed Buffy's pussy;
Buffy's lower body was moving more and more as waves of
erotic pleasure flowed through her.


As Buffy was experiencing a sexual thrill unlike any in her life,
Cordelia was equally ecstatic.  She was finally able to fell, smell
and taste Buffy after years of secretly desiring her.  (For several
years, a secret even to Cordy.)


'I'm going to remember every bit of this, she thought.  If I have
to spend eternity in boredom, I want to at least remember how
Buffy tastes...  How she moans...  How she feels on my mouth,
in my hands...everywhere.'


With her lips nearly fused around Buffy's labia, Cordelia began
to move her tongue rhythmically in and out of the Slayer's
pussy, pressing hard on her G-spot on at least every other thrust
into the beautiful girl.   Her tongue was wearing out and the
muscles in her jaw ached but she was not about to stop.
Cordelia Chase was going to make Buffy come if her tongue had
to fall off doing it.


Cordy's tongue penetrating...exploring her...touching her in that
spot...was all it took for Buffy.  Her body heaved as she
screamed and climaxed on Cordy's beautiful face.


Cordy sat back on her heels, licking the tangy Slayer juice from
her lips as she watched the girl's body trembling in the aftermath
of her first orgasm.  She was overjoyed at bringing such
pleasure to the girl half-conscious before her, erasing any
momentary discomfort she had felt in her mouth.


Buffy lay with her eyes closed, even when she felt the mattress
move.  It was so peaceful and wonderful.  'So this must be
bliss...'  Finally, as she felt a fingertip tickle one of her nipples,
she opened her eyes to see Cordelia looking down on her, a
smile on her lips.


"Thank you," Buffy whispered.


She reached up and grasped the back of Cordy's neck, pulling
the girl's face to hers to kiss her in gratitude.  Cordy smiled even
more broadly before sealing her lips to Buffy's.


After enjoying her own taste mixed with the flavor of Cordelia,
Buffy pulled back.  She gazed wonderingly at the dark-haired
girl.


"What?" Cordy asked self-consciously.


"Someone has too many clothes on," Buffy smirked.


"Hmm...I guess that can be fixed."


Cordy stood and slowly began to sway as she unbuttoned the
rest of her blouse.  Before pulling it open, she turned and slowly
lowered it, revealing the skimpy, black bra straps underneath.
Hidden from Buffy's stare, she popped open the front catch and
slowly lowered the lacy garment off her shoulders, finally
shrugging it onto the floor with her blouse.


Buffy's eyes wandered over the slender back and noted the sun
design just above Cordy's pants.  "Tattoo, Cordy?"


Looking over her shoulder, Cordelia said, "Hey, it's the Twenty-
first Century and I'm a progressive kinda girl."   She smiled and
asked, "You like?"


Buffy merely nodded.


Cordy resumed her swaying as she slowly undid the buttons on
her button-fly jeans.  Before peeling them down her leg, she
turned and, with an arm over her ample breasts, danced a bit
before the hungry eyes of the Slayer.


Buffy, still glowing from her orgasm, watched the half-naked
brunette with hungry eyes.  All questions about what they were
doing had left the Slayer.  Any lingering doubts had been blown
away with the glimpse of black lace in the opened jeans and the
promise hidden between the brunette's long legs.


Cordy smiled when Buffy's hand drifted down to finger her still-
wet core.  Turning again but keeping her eyes on her lover,
Cordy peeled the jeans down.  In moments, she was wearing
only a skimpy pair of panties; panties that had a major
resemblance to a black thong as the material had become
pinched between Cordy's round asscheeks.


The vision before Buffy turned and dropped her arm, revealing
her voluptuous breasts to the Slayer's eager eyes.  Buffy stood
and moved to her new lover.


They kissed slowly as they held each other tightly in the
darkening bedroom.


* * *


While they shared a long, slow kiss with their tongues dancing
together, Buffy was content to simply hold the other girl to her.
But, as the kiss lengthened, their mutual arousal grew.  Buffy's
hands slid down the soft skin and slipped under the lacy
material.


Cordy practically purred as she felt the Slayer's strong hands on
her.  When Buffy squeezed a cheek in each hand and pulled
Cordy to her, Cordy's purr deepened to a growl of desire.


Buffy imitated her seducer by sucking and kissing Cordy's neck.
Cordy threw her head back, not unaware of the irony of
exposing her neck to a vampire slayer.   But the said vampire
hunter was making the Seer feel so, so good.


Buffy licked a trail up to Cordelia's ear and sucked the lobe into
her mouth, her tongue playing with the simple gold stud.  She
worried it briefly then whispered, in a lust-coarsened voice, "My
turn."


For a change, Buffy used her superior strength, speed and
agility to lift Cordelia up and gently toss her onto the bed.  In the
process, as if by magic, the brunette's last vestige of clothing
disappeared.


Moving onto her knees on the mattress and straddling Cordy's
body, Buffy easily lifted and moved the woman up towards the
head of the bed.  She then dropped and covered Cordy's
nakedness with her own body.


In the near darkness, Buffy's breath brushed gently over
Cordelia's mouth as she whispered, "I hope you enjoy this."


Cordy grabbed Buffy's head in both hands and crushed her lips
to the Slayer's in a fierce, burning kiss.  Releasing the girl,
Cordelia whispered, "I already have."


But Buffy had something to prove.  To herself and to the former
cheerleader who had crossed an ocean and two continents to
find her.   She grasped both of Cordy's breasts and gently
squeezed them.  They felt deliciously heavy in Buffy's hands.


Taking one brown nipple in her mouth, the Slayer began to lave
and suck.  The irony was not lost on her and she giggled around
the soft, warm flesh in her mouth.


Switching sides, Buffy began to love the other taut nub, her
teeth coming into play now.  She tried to remember what Cordy
had done to her but it was hard as the pleasure she had been
enjoying whited out a lot of the action in her memory.


Cordy arched her back and groaned.  Buffy smiled, she must be
doing something right.  And so she continued to play with the
ex-May Queen's bountiful breasts.


As Buffy enjoyed the soft, warm, pillowy flesh, her thigh slid
between Cordy's and she felt the wet heat at the former
cheerleader's core.  As best she could in that position, Buffy
began to rub Cordy's pussy with her leg, smearing the woman's
essence across her skin, while nipping and tugging on the hard
nipples.


At some point, she realized her pussy was rubbing on Cordy's
leg too.  As she rubbed, the slickness increased and they were
both slowly humping up and down.


"Ooooh Buffy!" Cordy breathed out.


Buffy began to kiss her way down the slim torso from the excited
girl's breasts with a single goal in mind, ignoring the selfish part
of her brain that demanded more pleasure.  It was Cordy's turn.


As the Slayer settled between the Seer's splayed thighs, she got
her first view of a woman's sex.  It was wet and open and
beautiful.  'I never thought I'd think that,' Buffy thought inanely.


Cordy's aroma was heavy but Buffy quickly found it very
appealing.  Wondering how the brunette would taste, Buffy
decided there was only one way to find out.


Cordelia squealed when Buffy's mouth descended on her
vagina.  The tongue work, while tentative and uncertain,
seemed to find just the right places.  Pleasure waves of
increasing intensity were flowing through her body as she lifted
her head to look down.


'She's so beautiful,' Cordy thought as she saw the top of Buffy's
face between her legs.  The Slayer's eyes lifted up while she
continued to lick the brunette.  Their eyes met and locked.


All evening, the two had felt something growing between them.
Neither expected it and neither outwardly acknowledged it but
that shared look opened their hearts to one another.  Cordy felt
an emotional thrill different from but complimentary to the thrills
Buffy was causing with her mouth.


Buffy saw the look in her new lover's eyes and her heart began
to race.  She felt a joy unlike any she'd ever experienced before
and knew that she and the Seer were destined to be together.


Suddenly the juices she was tasting became like honey in her
mouth and she wanted...needed more.  It became the nectar of
life to the young woman.  And as Cordy neared her climax,
Buffy felt another building within her.


Unknown to them, their pulses took on like rhythms.  It was as if
they had been a couple for so long that their bio-rhythms were
attuned.  Hand in hand with this physiological connection, their
emotional and sexual natures began to merge as a result of the
empathic half-demon that was Cordelia Chase.  Given time,
they could each feel the other's joy and passion as deeply as
their own.  It would be a rarity in the history of humanity.


But even the bare traces of this were getting to Buffy as she
licked Cordy's wet pussy, her tongue probing deeply into the
soft, heated flesh.  The nectar from the brunette was flowing
freely from Cordy's netherlips into Buffy's mouth.  And the
Slayer could feel her own sex was hot and wet.


Redoubling her efforts, Buffy was rewarded with a gush as
Cordy screamed her name into the dark Roman night.  This
caused a mini-orgasm for Buffy who moaned into Cordy even as
Cordy's body throbbed beneath her.


Buffy crawled up Cordy's body, feeling the heat of the woman's
orgasm radiating out.  She was thrilled to know she had caused
such intensity.  And she was overjoyed to realize she was in
love with this beautiful, sexy woman.


This idyllic moment would be shattered once Cordelia told Buffy
the truth.


* * *


"Buffy, we need to talk.  About us, about me, about...all of it."


The two new lovers were sitting in the near-dark against the
headboard, neither caring that they were nude.  In truth, both
loved the freedom...and the respective views.


"Cordelia, I meant what I said.  I can feel it right here," Buffy
emphasized her statement by covering her heart with her hand.
"And here," her hand touched her temple.  "And here," her hand
went down to her firm, flat stomach.


Cordy's eyes moved further down to the cute little tangled mat of
fur but quickly turned her eyes to Buffy's.  "I feel the same.  I
love you Buffy Summers.  I think I always have.  But I can't
stay."


"Why?" came the anguished cry.


Cordy briefly explained her predicament and the fact that in a
couple of days at the outside, she'd have to return to the Great
Beyond.


"Buffy, if I'd known you'd feel the same way I feel, I never
would've done this.  I would've stayed up there and left you to
your life.  Now all I've done is given you pain.  Pain because of
something that'll be snatched away too quickly.  But I was
selfish.  I wanted..."


Buffy took Cordy's hand and kissed the palm, "So not true,
Cordelia.  I love you.  I'm happy I know that and I'm happy you
helped me find that out.  I never want to forget tonight and I will
never regret what happened.  Ever.


"I've been hurt before, on purpose and by accident.  Angel
becoming Angelus, Spike wigging out, Mom dying...  Hey, me?
Reborn how many times?  Hell, just being a Slayer is a painful
job.  And not just the bruises and pulled muscles and broken
bones.


"This was a joyous night.  One I will cherish forever.  So don't
start guilting on yourself.  Okay?"


Buffy looked at Cordy and shook the brunette's hand, "I said
okay?"


Cordy smiled and nodded, "Okay."


"Look, Will will be here..."


Cordy snickered, "Will-will?"


"Alright Smarty-pants."  Buffy glanced down at Cordy's nude
form, "Uh make that Smarty-no-pants.  Anyway, she'll be here in
a day or two and she'll know what to do.  She's my expert on
things Beyond.


"Meantime, help me make some memories to last a lifetime.
Just in case."


Cordy smiled, "Only if you help me make some memories to last
Eternity."


They agreed with a kiss.


* * * * * *


Two days later, on the bright, warm morning, Willow sensed the
change in the apartment even before she entered and saw Buffy
sitting astride Cordy's lap, facing the brunette and playing with
her long, dark curls.  Both were wearing men's dress shirts and,
obvious through the open fronts, nothing else.


She pulled up short and said, "Uh, hey...hey there..."   Her voice
came out as a pathetic squeak. The witch cleared her throat and
tried again.


"Hey there!  Cordy, long time no see!"  Willow was happy to see
the two women together but had to fight to avoid looking at
either one's exposed flesh.  It was hard as it'd been a while since
she and Kennedy had been together.  "Didn't expect to see you
here..."


Buffy jumped up and pulled her shirt closed.  She struggled with
the buttons as she tried to cross her legs while standing but
managed to croak out, "Willow!  Hey!  It's not like you think..."


Not nearly as frantic as her lover, Cordy smiled evilly, "Yes it is.
It's so exactly what she thinks.  Isn't it, Willow?"


The red-headed, red-faced witch nodded, noting the day-old
hickey on Buffy's throat.  She was stunned but pleased to see
two friends happy.


Cordy said, "You better sit down.  It's a long story."


As Willow made herself comfortable on one of the other chairs,
Buffy sat on Cordy's lap again.  Cordy pushed Buffy off.  "Buffy,
I love you and all that but I can't talk to Willow here with you
constantly playing with me."


Buffy pouted, "But I wanna play!  You're my favorited-est toy
ever!"


"So I'm a toy now?  Look missy!  I'm not just some..."


"Girls?  Long story?  Ready to listen?"  Willow sat back, ready to
hear the tale then asked, "Uh, can you guys button up a bit?
Kinda distracting..."


Buffy and Cordy blushed.  'That's so cute,' Willow thought with a
smile.


The lovers acceded to Willow's request then Cordy started,
"Okay then.  I've told Buffy most of this but...she keeps getting
frisky and...  And misses some of...  Buffy!?!"


"Buffy!  Hands to yourself!" Willow barked.  Buffy sat next to
Cordy, her hands folded in her lap trying to look sheepish.


"So, anyway, there I was a half-demon, half-hottie and..."


"All hottie if you ask me," Buffy interjected earning glares from
both women.


"As I was saying before I was so rudely...uh, complimented, I got
called up.  Then I got bored and they let me return.  Oh, with no
memory, I might add.  Then I got pregnant with some demon
seed.  Again!  And..."


A quick recap of prior events leading up to the Slayer and the
Seer realizing they loved each other took less time than
Cordelia expected.  Which was good since time was short for
her.


"...then she said 'Ravish me.'"


"I did not!" Buffy protested.


"Did so!"


"Did not!"


"Children!  Let's get to the point here," Willow said with a laugh.


"So, here I was ready to say goodbye to Buffy and I don't want
to.


"And I don't want her to leave either," Buffy added.


And with that Willow was brought up to speed.


Buffy asked, "Is there anything we can do?  I don't want to lose
Cordy now that I've found her.  Please Will..."


"Well, the Powers are...the Powers.  But they let you come back
twice now.  That must mean there's a very strong connection
here for you.  First Angel and now, finally I might add, Buffy."


"And..." Cordy asked, trying to curb her impatience.  "Time's
running out."


"Well, I think I can do something with that connection.
Strengthen it so that you can stay corporeal as long as you
want."  Willow held up her hand, "Maybe...  I will try.  You're
sure this Darla-spirit said once you said farewell?"


Cordy nodded, "Yep.  Once I tell them farewell and leave, I can't
be seen by them again."


"Hmm...that's something.  But love is pretty powerful all by
itself."


"Okay.  So not a problem.  I do want to stay here.  With you,"
Cordy looked at Buffy lovingly as she finished her statement.


"I want you to stay too."


Willow smiled, "Think I can handle that.  Got all the ingredients
right here."


"You can keep me here?  But that means you're more powerful
than the Powers!" Cordelia exclaimed.


"Nope, just got to combine your love and my willpower.  Well,
that and what sounds like a little loophole in their arrangement.
Anyway, they can wait to get their hands on you afterwards."


Cordy looked at her love.  Buffy squeezed her hand and smiled
back lovingly.  "Do it."


Willow nodded, almost as eager as the newfound lover.  "Okay,
here's what I need you.  A blessed candle.  Some ground
herbs..."


* * *


Willow chanted some arcane lines, threw some powder into the
candle's flame, creating a large plume of blue smoke.


The smoke quickly enveloped the new lovers as they held each
other's hand.


"Don't breath in the smoke," Willow warned.


But both women had already inhaled the acrid-smelling fumes.
Both started coughing as the rest of the blue cloud faded.


"God, Willow.  A little warning next time?" Cordy gasped out.


"Will, what'll happen to us now?  We breathed in the smoke,"
Buffy asked anxiously, still coughing.


"Well, you'll cough."


"Cough?"


"Well, yeah.  It's kinda harsh and..."


"Willow!"


"Yes Buffy?"


"Did it work?"


"Well, you're both still here."


Cordelia rolled her eyes then looked at Buffy.  "Only one way to
know for sure."


"No Cordelia.  If it didn't..."


"Sweetheart, if it didn't, I'll be gone by tomorrow anyway."


"But..."


"Buffy's right.  Why rush it?  You can test it tomorrow..."


Cordelia shook her head, "No.  I...I can't not know."


"But...I love you.  I don't want to lose you now."


"Buffy, you won't lose me," Cordy said, stroking the smaller
woman's cheek with her knuckles.  Her hand drifted down to
cover Buffy's left breast gently, "I'll always be here with you."
Her hand covered her own heart as she said, "Just as you'll
always be here with me."


She stepped towards the door and, over her shoulder, said, "Be
right back!"


As the brunette stepped out, Buffy cried, "Cordy!  No!"


"Bye."


Willow held Buffy as her love closed the door.  Buffy started to
quiver, "C...cordy..."


Closing the door, Cordy tried to ignore the heartache she heard
in Buffy's voice.  If all went as Willow promised, she'll be turning
around and taking Buffy in her arms in a moment.


Blinding light engulfed Cordelia for an instant.  Once the light
faded, all she could see was a fluffy nothingness.


"Oh crap!"


* * *


"Great!  Just great!" Cordy said into the nothingness around her.
Here she'd finally found her soul mate only to have all of it taken
away.  "I so cannot catch a break..."


The mists before her parted and a familiar face framed by curly,
blonde hair emerged.  The lovely face already had a smile
which widened when Cordy's eyes bulged.


"J...Joyce?"


"Hi Cordelia.  It's been a while," Joyce Summers said simply.


"You're up here?"


Joyce nodded, "Yes.  I was brought here after I died to sort of
keep an eye on my girls.  You included."


"Did you see...?  I...  Uh, Buffy didn't...  It was all my fault."


"Cordelia dear, there's nothing to be sorry for.  I know you love
Buffy.  I knew it when we were together back in
Sunnydale...even when you didn't.  And Buffy loves you too."


"Joyce, I never thought I'd...  Now I feel like I cheated on you."


"Ssh.  No you didn't.  We were lovers but we weren't in love.
And that was over long before I died.  In the meantime, I've
come to love you as I love Willow, Xander and Buffy and
Dawn's other friends.  Well, I might love you a bit more if only
for making an old woman feel wanted..."


Cordelia laughed, "Old?  You man like Giles?  No way!  And if
there's one thing I learned from you, it's that age isn't a factor in
sex or love."


"Thank you, sweetheart."


"So why didn't you meet me before?"  Cordy was feeling
perturbed now.  "Why that skank vamp?"  At the look in Joyce's
eyes, she said, "I mean...former skank vamp."


"Well, partly to show that no one is beyond redemption.  And
because I felt if you saw me, you might not want to go back so
readily."


"Yeah, like that's an option," Cordy replied.  Joyce cocked an
eyebrow.  "You mean I can...?"  Joyce nodded.  "But...Darla
said...  And the Powers..."


"None of that matters, Cordy.  You are your own power now.
And now that you found love - real love - in the corporeal world,
you have a stronger tie than you ever had before.  I didn't tell
you...or Darla, so you would want to go back.  I knew you had to
see Buffy one more time if it was at all possible.  And I'd hoped
that the time limit we imposed would force you to act on your
feelings."


"It did," Cordy said needlessly.


"Now you know what I had hoped you'd learn.  You know that
you and Buffy belong together.  But before you return, there are
some things I think you might be interested in knowing."


"Such as?"


Joyce took Cordy's hand, leading her into the mist, saying,
"Well, for one thing, you, my dear, were almost the Slayer..."


"I...  What?!?"


* * * * * *


As the brunette stepped out, Buffy cried, "Cordy!  No!"


Willow held Buffy as her love closed the door.  Buffy started to
quiver, "C...cordy..."


The door opened and the leggy brunette stepped inside quickly.


"Hey!  Still here!  Right here!"


Buffy yelled, "Cordelia!"


Rushing up to the tall brunette, Buffy grabbed her in a bear hug,
her tears falling into Cordy's shoulder, soaking her shirt.  Then
the Slayer stepped back and slapped the woman she loved.


"Hey!  What the hell...?!?"


"Don't you ever, ever do that again!  Got it?"


Cordy rubbed her red cheek, "Jeez, go psycho much?"  Then
she smiled at Buffy, "Don't worry.  You're stuck with me now."


Buffy smiled back.  "I'd better be."


Willow was suddenly engulfed in a small group hug and profuse
thanks from the Seer and the Slayer.


"Well, I've got laundry to do..."


"Wait, Will.  What if someone sees us?"


"Buffy, it's the twenty-first century.  Lesbians are chic now."


"No, not that."


Cordy chimed in, "What she means is...what if someone I
already said goodbye to sees us?  Will they just see Crazy Buffy
holding hands with no one and talking to her imaginary friend?"


"Oh!  No.  They'll see someone.  Just not you."


"And don't forget!  Just to be on the safe side, never say
goodbye or bye or anything else like that in English to Buffy.
Ciao, aloha, sayonara...something like that.  Got it?"


Cordy nodded emphatically, "Got it."


"Cause it might only takes one slip..."


"Got it Willow!  Jeez, preach much?"  Cordy smiled evilly, "So
no one I've ta-taed will see me as Cordelia Chase, huh?  This
could be fun..."


Which explains why later, when Angel and Spike headed to
Rome and saw Buffy at a disco, they saw her dancing with the
Immortal.


Fortunately, the Immortal, who was only marginally aware that
the Slayer was even in Rome, played along since it seemed to
bother the two ensouled vampires so much.  And he so much
enjoyed irritating goody-two-shoes types.


* * * * * *


      Epilogue...


When the year abroad ended and Buffy returned to the States
with her sister and her lover, the group in Cleveland saw Buffy
with an unknown but beautiful and (Xander noted) buxom
brunette.


In the end, of the original Scoobs and the Angel Investigations
survivors, only Illyria - who did not know her, Giles, Willow,
Dawn, and, of course, Buffy saw Cordelia Chase.  The rest saw
Buffy's stunning new lover and understood why the Slayer finally
came out of the closet.  Even after they learned it was really
Cordelia Chase.


Shortly after returning, Buffy and Cordy had settled into a
seaside home near Carmel. Buffy argued it was to keep an eye
on the now-dormant Hellmouth in the Sunnydale Crater.  Cordy,
Dawn and Willow knew the Slayer loved the sea.


Willow, who had left the potential-slayer search to Kennedy (her
ex-lover) and Faith (Kennedy's current lover) had happily settled
near San Diego.  She claimed there was a trans-spatial nexus
there that allowed her to see anywhere and to travel when and
where she needed.


Everyone, even Cordelia, showed enough tact to ignore the fact
that Willow was enamored with a blonde, teenaged PI from
nearby Neptune.


In the end, the two soul mates finally had to say goodbye.   But
by that point, Buffy had exceeded the life expectancy of slayers
by nearly six decades and the two were quickly reunited with
their lost friends, former enemies and the one who was mother
to them all in the great Beyond.


The End


  (c) John O'Conner
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