Title: Hands Off (Parts 1-6) 
Author: Inell 
Email: Inell@aol.com 
Disclaimer: Joss owns them all 
Distribution: My site, Kiss or Kill, 
http://members.fortunecity.com/kissorkill Anyone that has permission, take. 
Otherwise, just ask. 
Rating: R 
Pairing: Willow/Cordelia


Cordelia Chase sat on the lumpy chair, her mouth hanging slightly open 
as she stared in surprise at the handsome man sitting opposite her. Her 
eyes ran along his face as her mind tried to come to grips with the 
words that had spilled from his full lips. She knew she must have heard 
wrong. She leaned back in the chair, knowing that there was no way in 
hell that he had said the word she had heard. She laughed shakily, her 
dark eyes moving to the faces of the other two men occupying the room. 
One of them seemed as startled as she felt while the other seemed to 
have not a care in the world. She looked back at Angel and asked, "Could 
you please repeat that?"

Angel shifted on the wood chair, listening to the low creak it made as 
his weight shifted. He didn't like the way that they were looking at 
him, as if he had lost his mind. True, they might be right, but still, 
they didn't have to look so dumbfounded. He slowly repeated his words to 
them, a slight edge of annoyance in his tone, "We're needed in 
Sunnydale. We leave tomorrow."

"Sunnydale. You said Sunnydale?" Wesley said, a look of dread in his 
dark eyes.

"The man said Sunnydale. Geez, what the fuck is wrong with you two?" 
Gunn asked, giving the other two living people an irritated look.

"I can't go to Sunnydale," Cordelia said, shaking her head. She ran a 
hand through her short hair, missing its length for the first time since 
cutting it. When it had been long, it had been easier to hide behind. 
Now, nothing could conceal the worry and fear that filled her brown 
eyes. "I left there. I don't want to go back."

"You? What about me?" Wesley asked the former May queen, giving her a 
proper glare. "You do remember that I was pretty much run from town, 
don't you?"

"It's always about you, isn't it?" she shot back. "That's rich, coming 
from you Princess," he said, leaning forward slightly.

"Yo, stop the dramatics," Gunn said, giving Angel a look that told the 
vampire he'd better cool things down immediately.

"Enough," Angel said in a quiet but warning tone that caused both to 
look at him with guilty expressions. He almost smiled as he realized 
they both looked like children that had been caught with their hand in 
the cookie jar. Wesley, he understood. He knew what the former watcher 
had gone through in Sunnydale, and what the man had been spending the 
last year trying to amend. Cordelia surprised him though. True, she had 
left with dreams of being an actress, but she had friends and family 
back in Sunnydale. Why would she not want to back home? "We are leaving 
tomorrow. End of discussion."

"So sayeth the master," Cordelia muttered, giving Angel a narrow look. 
"Listen, Fang, you can run back and save Cry Buffy if you want. That's 
your business. My business is saving people here, in LA. I can't go 
back."

"Why?" Angel asked, seeing by her statement that he had caught her off 
guard with the question. He waited, knowing that he was even more 
stubborn than she was and that he had all the time in the world, or at 
least until dusk the next day.

"Why?" Cordelia stuttered. "Well, um, just because. It's none of your 
business!"

"Oooh, girly girl's got a secret," Gunn said, grinning a wicked smile as 
he poked her leg with his foot. "Spill it, babe. What's none of our 
business?"

"I don't have a secret," Cordelia said, her eyes looking anywhere but at 
the three men's faces. "I just don't want to go back there. It reminds 
me of the past, of things that I lost. Isn't that good enough? I'm sure 
I'd do more staying here than I would going."

Angel saw her hopeful statement and his curiosity ran wild. Knowing 
Cordelia, it was something silly. She probably didn't want anyone to 
know that she had been unemployed before he found her or that she had 
lived in something less than splendor when first moving to LA. Or, she 
really was hiding something. Either way, she was going to back. "Sorry, 
I need you all. They need you all."

"Why does that frighten me?" Wesley asked, rolling his eyes. He looked 
at Gunn, making a face, "Well, I guess you get to finally see 
Sunnydale."

Gunn smiled, seeing the look of defeat on his lover's face, "It can't 
really be that bad, can it?"

"Just wait," Wesley glared one more time at Angel before getting to his 
feet. "Tomorrow?"

Angel nodded, "I promised Buffy we'd be there as soon as we could."

"I so thought you had moved on from her," Cordelia said, watching with 
satisfaction as Angel stiffened, his statement going stoic. "I mean, you 
did that whole little Darla obsession thing. Even got a little 
action...Why run back to Buffy now?"

"It's not going to work, Delia," Angel said quietly, watching her pretty 
face. "I am over Buffy, but we're still friends. She needs help. For her 
to call me, I know she must be in serious trouble. We leave tomorrow."

"Maybe you guys are, but I'm not," Cordelia said, shaking her head. "No 
way. No how. I am not stepping foot back in Sunnydale. Not a chance in 
hell and nothing you say can change my mind. So there."

Less then twenty-four hours later

"I can't believe I'm going back to Sunnydale," Cordelia muttered for the 
fiftieth time since being politely forced into the car by three men much 
larger than her. She sighed, her eyes watching the dark landscape pass 
by in a blur as Angel drove north to Sunnydale. She leaned her head 
against the window as memories of senior year flashed in her mind. 
Memories she had done her best to forget but that she had never been 
able to push from her mind. Memories that had made her run away from 
Sunnydale, vowing to never return for fear of so many things. She 
whispered a name so softly that not even Angel heard it, "Willow."

********************


Willow looked at Tara and sighed, running a hand through her red hair. 
She and her lover had broken up only a week before, the slight hurt 
still new. Of course, it had been a mutual decision and they were both 
still friends, but it was strange. Sitting here now with her former 
girlfriend and her friends talking about defeating Glory and everything. 
It wasn't weird exactly, just strange. She felt like she should be 
beside Tara instead of sitting beside Buffy. But, they had grown apart. 
Their relationship for the past few months had mostly consisted of 
friendship more than anything else. And she would be lying to herself if 
she ever said that there had ever been a large amount of passion or need 
between them. They worked better as friends, she saw now. Of course, she 
wouldn't trade those months with Tara for anything. It had forced her 
into seeing who she really was, who she had always been. One time before 
she had chosen to go with her head instead of her heart and she had 
regretted it ever since. She could never look back on Tara with those 
regrets. For that, she was extremely thankful.

She smiled at Tara as she blonde looked up, watching as a familiar smile 
crossed lips that she knew so well. She looked at Buffy, deciding that 
she had spent enough time thinking about things that couldn't be, 
shouldn't be, changed. "Buffy, do we have any ideas how to fight Glory?"

Buffy laughed as she shook her head, "Not a single damn clue."

"Oh great," Xander moaned, leaning his head against Anya's shoulder. 
"Why do I not like when the slayer says there is no hope?"

"She didn't say that there wasn't hope," Tara corrected quietly with a 
small smile, "she just said she didn't know what that hope might be."

Willow listened as Tara started to argue with Xander about Buffy's exact 
meaning, a smile on her face as she listened to two of her former loves. 
She felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up at Buffy who was watching 
her with a concerned statement.

"You OK?" Buffy asked, knowing that her best friend had just broken up 
with Tara and might still be hurting. She knew that both girls claimed 
that it was mutual and that they were still the best of friends, but she 
wanted to make sure. If Willow wasn't cool with Tara being there, she'd 
toss the witch out on her ass.

"Quit asking me that," Willow said, smiling at her best friend. "You've 
done the best friend bit. We watched sappy movies and had a good cry and 
we even ate ice cream. It really wasn't meant to be for her and me. It 
worked but it didn't. We're so much better as friends. I mean, I 
wouldn't change anything that happened, but we just didn't have that 
passion."

"Passion?" Buffy repeated, smiling. "You and those dreams of true love. 
You know, for your sake, I honestly hope you find it someday. Just to 
prove to me that it exists."

"Oh, it exists," Willow said, her voice softening as she flashed back to 
her past. Back to her undeniable proof that true love existed, that 
romance wasn't dead, that she could love someone more than she loved
herself. A melancholy smile crossed her face as her green eyes became 
clouded in memories.

"I know," Buffy said with her own smile, having a good idea where 
Willow's thoughts had taken her. She reached over and squeezed the 
redhead's hand, giving her a loving smile. "You're gonna be fine. Trust 
me."

"Always," Willow said, smiling back before joining the conversation that 
was going on around them. "Xander, quit worrying. We've faced things far 
more threatening than Glory and survived."

"She's right. We've faced Adam and those horrid little soldier boys," 
Anya said.

"And who could forget the master," Buffy said, smiling.

"The mayor was pretty awful," Giles said making a face.

"Oh, and don't forget Angelus," Xander added with a smirk at Buffy who 
simply flipped him her middle finger with a prim smile.

"You guys are forgetting the worst of all," Willow said, shaking her 
head as an impish smile crossed her face.

"Dracula?" Buffy said, adding, "he wasn't all that. I mean, that whole 
thrall thing was a bit of a wiggins, but he was so not that scary."

"Nope, the worst one of all!" Willow said, laughing as they appeared 
stumped. "Principal Snyder!"

"OH, God," Xander groaned, visibly shuddering, "Anything but Snyder."

"Snake food!" Buffy said, laughing as she rested her head on Willow's 
shoulder. "I'd forgotten him. How could I forget that miserable troll?"

"Do you feel as left out as I do?" Dawn whispered to Tara, watching the 
others laughing and making faces with a curious but wistful statement.

"I often feel left out when they fall into their little reminiscing 
moods," Anya told the two girls, sharing a smile with them as she looked 
at her lover and friends. She was glad to see them laughing. Over the 
past couple of months, there had been nothing to laugh about.

"Glad we're not the only ones," Tara said, looking at the redhead that 
had, until last week, been the love of her young life. She knew, deep 
down, that Willow had never felt for her what she had felt for the 
redhead. That was one reason she had felt they should break up. 
Something, someone, had always been between them. A ghost from the past, 
if you will. She had always thought it must be Oz, but sometimes she 
just wasn't so sure. It didn't really matter. While she would always 
love Willow, it had gone on long enough. She hadn't wanted to spend any 
more of her life competing with someone that she could never replace. 
That wasn't a life, that would have been an existence. She hoped, for 
Willow's sake, that her ex-lover found that special someone. It just 
wasn't her.

"What are you girls whispering about over there?" Willow asked lazily as 
Tara began to rub her neck. She smiled at her former lover, patting the 
area in front of her, "Need a rub?"

Tara smiled as she crawled across the floor for one of Willow's neck 
rubs. The others had learned just how good Willow was at massaging, 
often letting the redhead practice her skills on them after a long day 
of researching. She smirked at Xander who whined about needing a rub 
more than Tara did. "Ha, I got her first."

"Kids, I think I can squeeze you both in," Willow said in a diplomatic 
way as she laughed. She looked at Dawn and said, "Now, what where you 
guys whispering about?"

"Nothing," Dawn said, laughing as Willow gave her a disbelieving look.

"Dawny, why are you lying to me?" Willow asked with a wink at the 
slayer's little sister as she began to move her fingers along Tara's 
neck.

"What time is it?" Buffy asked suddenly, lifting her head to look around 
for a clock.

"Nearly eight," Xander said, glancing at his watch. "Why?" Willow asked, 
raising an eyebrow at her friend, forgetting her teasing of Dawn.

"Hope should be here soon," Buffy said cryptically, smiling slightly.

"You have a friend called Hope?" Anya asked, frowning.

"No silly," Buffy rolled her eyes as she rested her head back on 
Willow's shoulder, "I've called for reinforcements. Help in fighting 
that dyed blonde bitch."

"Tsk...tsk, isn't that a case of the dyed calling the dyed black? Or 
would that be blonde?" Willow asked, running her fingers along Buffy's 
dark roots.

"Coming from you?" Buffy shot back, smiling as she looked at the vibrant 
red tresses that had come clearly come from a box. "But I do need to dye 
my roots. Remind me to pencil it in. Finish my research paper. Save the 
world. Color my hair."

"You're impossible," Willow rolled her eyes as the others laughed. She 
heard a door open behind them, and glanced back, not sure who she 
expected to see. Her smile faded and her hands fell from Tara's neck as 
she automatically caught eyes that had haunted her dreams for over a 
year. She whispered, "Cordelia?"

********************

Cordelia froze when she saw Willow. A familiar attraction spread over 
her, starting at her toes and moving along every nerve ending in her 
body. She felt her mouth dry as she struggled to speak, to say something 
witty and sarcastic. Instead, she just stood frozen, her dark eyes large 
and uncertain.

"Angel, you came," Buffy said, not moving from her place on Willow's 
shoulder. She looked at her former lover and smiled in gratitude before 
looking at the others. "Wesley, thank you for coming. I know it must be 
difficult."

"Not at all," he replied, lying through his teeth.

"I don't know you," Buffy said to the handsome black man standing 
between Cordelia and Wesley. "I'm Buffy."

"Gunn," he said, shaking her hand.

"Nice. Short and to the point," she said with an easy smile before 
settling her eyes on the brunette female. "Cordelia."

Cordelia was still staring at Willow, noticing all of the changes, 
comparing this Willow with the Willow that she had fallen in love with 
those years ago. They were different people, she realized. Willow had 
grown up, much like she had. Golly, but she was still so beautiful. Her
hair was redder than before, obviously dyed but lovely with her 
coloring. It was shorter too, barely chin length.

"Cordelia?" Buffy said again, a slow smile spreading across her face. 
Bingo. It appeared that she had been right in assuming that Cordelia was 
the one Willow had drunkenly referred to as the love of her life that 
had gone away. She'd had doubts, of course, knowing that it seemed 
almost impossible. But, now, she felt proud that she'd figured it all 
out.

"Huh?" Cordelia said, reluctantly moving her eyes away from Willow's to 
look at Buffy. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the slayer laying so 
comfortably against her redhead.

"Thanks for coming," Buffy said, her eyes moving to look at Willow. 
"Isn't it nice of them to come help, sweetie?"

Willow couldn't believe how beautiful Cordelia looked. The brunette had 
cut her hair, a short very flattering style. She heard Buffy talking to 
her and looked at her best friend, eyes confused when she heard Buffy 
calling her sweetie. Seeing the mischievous look in her best friend's 
hazel eyes, she smiled and said, "Yes it is, snookums. We really need 
their help."

Tara sighed softly, suddenly having a face to put on the ghost. 
Cordelia. She had heard a lot about the girl, though they had never met. 
Of course, she had never heard any mention of an affair between the 
cheerleader and Willow, but from what she could see, it probably hadn't 
been broadcasted. She had wanted Willow to be happy. Well, this might be 
the redhead's chance. She glanced at her watch, groaning when she saw 
the time, "Darn. I have to get going. I'm meeting my group to work on 
our history project."

"Be by after?" Willow asked, looking at her ex-girlfriend and smiling. 
She had a feeling she might need the friend later.

"Yeah," Tara said, brushing her lips softly against Willow's before 
getting to her feet. "Thanks for the rub, hon. Xander, your turn."

"Can Willow rub my neck, baby?" Xander asked Anya, laughing as she 
rolled her eyes.

"I'm not worried about her touching her, Xander. You're not her type," 
Anya said as she shared a smile with the redhead.

Tara gathered her stuff and looked up to see Cordelia watching her with 
narrowed eyes. Smiling, she touched Willow's hair. "Maybe later we can 
talk."

"That would be nice," Willow said with a smile. "I can come by and pick 
up the rest of my things, maybe. I think I've found enough extra room 
for them all."

"Wills, you're gonna have that room so packed full of stuff you're gonna 
have to start sleeping with me," Buffy said with a laugh. "It isn't that 
bad," Willow said, laughing. "I have a lot of things. Sue me."

"I like Willow's stuff," Dawn said, kicking her foot against the table. 
"She's got such neat stories about everything."

"Have her take you to her house, sometime," Xander said, smiling at 
Dawn. "She's still got stuff from when we were like six."

"Really?" Dawn asked, looking at Willow. "Could ya take me? Maybe? Huh?"

"Dawny, calm down!" Willow said, laughing. "Sometime I'll take you over 
there. I'll just make sure Mom and Dad aren't at home."

"Ahem," Angel cleared his throat as he looked at his crew then at the 
gang sitting around the magic store. "I believe I heard mention of some 
threat?"

"Oh, that," Buffy said, smiling at him. "We've decided that the best 
philosophy is to ignore it in hopes that she goes away."

"So far, it hasn't been very successful," Xander said stoically.

"What exactly is it that we're facing?" Wesley asked, glancing at Angel.

"Why don't you guys sit down and we'll tell you what we know," Buffy 
said, watching as Cordelia sat down in a chair with a very good view of 
Willow. Surprise, surprise. Buffy felt remarkably stupid for having not 
realized that there was something between her best friend and Cordelia 
back in high school. Maybe she had and had just ignored it. After all, 
she'd had a lot on her mind. Either way, she wasn't ignoring it now.

"Aren't you missing someone?" Cordelia asked, her eyes trying to look at 
Willow without being noticed. "Nope, everyone's here. Well, except Tara 
but she just left," Anya said, looking around the room.

"Oz," Cordelia said, spitting out his name. Straightening, she asked, 
"And by the way, who is Tara exactly?"

"Oz is gone," Willow said softly, her eyes watching Cordelia's face. "He 
left over a year ago, after we broke up. Long story."

"I'm sorry," Cordelia said, her heart doing strange things in learning 
that Oz was no longer in Willow's life. "And Tara?"

Willow smiled slightly, "She's my ex-girlfriend."

********************

Gunn whistled softly when he heard the pretty redhead's words. He 
exchanged a look with his lover, seeing the obvious surprise on Wesley's 
face. Rolling his eyes, he looked back at the redhead, smiling at her 
obvious lack of concern over having just outed herself to several old 
friends. Her confidence and attitude made him like her immediately. He 
sat back in his chair, his dark eyes moving to Cordelia who had bristled 
at the girl's statement. Now that he was curious about. The princess 
hadn't been acting like herself since the boss had mentioned coming to 
this place. Her reaction the Willow had been as plain as day, to him at 
least. Those two girls had some history between them. Judging from 
Willow's last statement and Cordelia's open mouthed gaping, he'd wager 
his salary he knew what exactly it had been.

"Your girlfriend?" Cordelia finally managed to ask, surprise still on 
her pretty face.

"Yep," Willow nodded.

"Was, as in past tense," Buffy said, moving to sit up a bit straighter, 
her hand moving to Willow's shoulder as she squeezed.

"Buffy, I don't think anyone here cares about the details of my love 
life," Willow said, looking away from Cordelia's accusing look.

Xander snorted, "Details? I've asked you for details since you and Tara 
got together. You never kiss and tell, remember?"

"You're so gross," Dawn said, wrinkling her nose at Xander. "Typical 
guy."

"And proud of it," Xander said, winking at the teen.

"Why don't we tell Angel and the others what it is we're facing here. 
Maybe they'll have some ideas that we haven't been able to come up 
with," Willow suggested, not wanting to look into Cordelia's eyes. Just 
seeing the girl brought back memories and guilt. Of course, she hadn't 
been the one that had left, that had decided for the both of them what 
their future would be, that had determined that they belonged apart 
rather than together. She had nothing to feel guilty about. In fact, she 
had done almost everything she could have done back then to persuade 
Cordelia to give them a chance. It had been the other girl that had been 
concerned about appearances, about what people would say or think about 
them, what their future should be like. Cordelia who had insisted she 
take Oz back even when her heart hadn't been in it. Cordelia who had 
pushed her away, ignoring her until the day after graduation. Willow 
closed her eyes briefly at the feeling of dull pain and ache that the 
memories always brought to her, trying to push them away. No, she should 
feel no guilt. She had done everything except run after Cordelia and 
demand that they no longer ignore their feelings. Maybe she should have 
done that, but it had seemed so hopeless at the time. And she had been 
scared. So very very scared. Just as Cordelia had been.

"Are you OK honey?" Buffy whispered, looking at her best friend as Giles 
began to fill in the others about Glory and the key.

Willow opened her eyes, and looked at Buffy, smiling softly, "You ask me 
that a lot lately."

"What can I say? I care," Buffy said, smiling as she brushed the hair 
away from Willow's face. "Can you handle this? Seeing her again?"

Willow's eyes widened in surprise at Buffy's words, "You know."

"Of course I know. I'm your best friend," Buffy said softly, smiling.

"How could I forget?" Willow asked, laughing softly. She nodded, letting 
out a deep breath, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just kind of tough, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Buffy agreed, not risking a glance at Angel.

"What game are you playing, Buffy Anne Summers?" Willow asked suddenly, 
her voice a harsh whisper.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, blinking innocently.

"Sweetie? The casual touches that could be considered something else? Do 
you want them think that you and I...that we're...you know," Willow felt 
a slight blush crossing her cheeks.

"What? I can't call you sweetie?" Buffy asked, smiling.

"Just seems a bit odd that you suddenly start getting so touchy feely 
when Cordelia came in," Willow remarked, studying her best friend. "You 
are playing something, aren't you?"

"You're so suspicious," Buffy said, trying to look offended, but not 
succeeding. "Don't worry, Willow. I have only your best interest at 
heart. I want you happy."

"I am happy," Willow defended.

"You could be happier," Buffy said, leaning forward to whisper in 
Willow's ear, "though how Cordelia Chase could make anyone happier, I 
have yet to learn."

"You don't know her, not really," Willow said softly, again flashing 
back to the last half of senior year.

"I hope to change that," Buffy said, pulling her head back and smiling. 
She impulsively kissed Willow's forehead, saying, "I want you happy, got 
it?"

"Happy, aye aye sir," Willow said, smiling as she shook her head. Trust 
Buffy to come up with some plan to help her and Cordelia. Too bad the 
slayer was too late. They had had their chance and both had been too 
scared to do anything. She doubted time would have changed Cordelia all 
that much. Besides, she wouldn't be surprised if Cordelia didn't even 
remember any of it. Looking up, she saw Gunn, Wesley and Angel listening 
intently to Giles and Xander and Anya. Cordelia's eyes were on her, a 
frown on the brunette's pretty face, her eyes accusing and jealous. 
Scowling, Willow had to wonder what Cordelia's problem was.

********************

Willow stood beside Dawn near the counter as the group began to break 
apart. Wesley and Gunn had announced that they were getting a hotel 
room, giving no doubts as to the exact nature of their relationship. 
Willow was actually glad to see Wesley so obviously happy. She'd never 
really held anything against the watcher once it was shown that he 
hadn't planned on taking Giles place in their lives. And Gunn seemed 
like someone she could consider a friend. She was eager to sit with him 
and talk a little. Angel was staying with Anya and Xander of all people. 
They were the only ones with a spare bedroom besides Buffy, who had 
quickly volunteered to have Cordelia stay with her. Willow sighed, 
making a face as she realized that Cordelia would be staying at her 
house during the duration of their stay in Sunnydale.

"Earth to Willow," Dawn said, smiling as Willow came out of her 
thoughts.

"Very cute," Willow said, rolling her eyes.

"What's up with that Cordelia girl?" Dawn asked, looking at the pretty 
brunette before looking at her friend.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked with a frown.

"She's been watching you since they got here. I thought she was going to 
get up and try to kick Buffy's ass a few times during Giles little 
speech," Dawn said.

"She did?" Willow smiled slightly. "There's nothing up with her, Dawn. 
She's probably tired."

"You're not telling me the truth," Dawn said, frowning. "She also didn't 
like Tara much either."

"Cordelia doesn't really like that many people," Willow said vaguely.

"She seems to like you," Dawn said, watching as Willow blushed slightly. 
Suddenly, she gasped, "Oh My God! I get it now!"

"Shhh," Willow said, glancing around nervously, glad to see that no one 
was paying attention to Dawn's outburst. "Would you be a bit more 
quiet?"

"Was she your girlfriend?" Dawn whispered, having heard mention of 
Cordelia several times, but never having any idea that she had been 
involved with Willow. "I remember hearing about Dogboy, but I thought 
Tara was your first girlfriend."

"His name was Oz," Willow said, rolling her eyes as Dawn used Buffy's 
nickname for her former boyfriend. "And Tara *was* my first girlfriend."

"I'm glad that I never met Dogboy," Dawn said, making a face. "From what 
I've heard, I don't think I would have liked him very much."

"Oz was a nice guy," Willow said, rolling her eyes. "Don't believe 
everything your sister tells you. She doesn't know everything about my 
relationship with him so she can be a bit unfair and judgmental."

"Not Buffy," Dawn said in mock surprise before she giggled. "So, 
Cordelia is staying with us and she keeps giving Buffy these deathly 
little glares and then looks at you like your dessert and she's a 
starving woman. This should be fun!"

********************

Gunn sat on the bed and bounced, "It squeaks."

Wesley cast his lover a withering glance and replied drolly, "Yes, I can 
hear."

"Uh oh," Gunn laughed, "someone's cranky."

"Facing hell on earth tends to put me in a foul mood," Wesley said, 
sitting in the arm chair.

"Ah, we've faced worse," Gunn said, making a face. "Well, maybe not, but 
it can't be that bad."

"I hate Sunnydale," Wesley said, running a hand over his face. "When I 
left, I vowed that I would never return."

"Some vows are meant to be broken," Gunn said with a wink.

Wesley reluctantly smiled, "You're too perky. You're acting like Mr. 
Mary Sunshine."

"Mary?" Gunn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that a crack?"

"Did you pay any attention to the meeting today?" Wesley asked, shaking 
his head. "Did you hear what we are facing?"

"Nope," Gunn said, shrugging. "I was too busy watching Princess shoot 
the slayer death looks and then eye Red like a piece of chocolate cake."

"What?" Wesley looked at Gunn in surprise. "Cordelia?"

Gunn laughed, "You act surprised. Take it you didn't know about them 
two."

"You're crazy," Wesley said, shaking his head. "Cordelia hated Willow. 
There was some feud their senior year. Believe it was over that moron, 
Xander of all people."

"But you didn't listen to the gossip," Gunn said, rolling his eyes. 
"What good were you, babe?"

"I was plenty good, thank you very much," Wesley's lips twitched as he 
remembered how easily Cordelia had accepted him and Gunn, not batting an 
eye and never throwing their relationship at them during arguments. With 
a nod, he said, "So, Princess wants Red."

"And it would appear that Slayer wants Red too," Gunn said, a thoughtful 
look on his face. "Actually, Slayer doesn't really seem the type, if you 
know what I mean. You think she's playing a game?"

"That sounds like Buffy," Wesley said, shaking his head. "For reasons 
that only she would understand, of course. Silly, foolish girl."

"I kind of liked her," Gunn said, smiling.

"You would," Wesley muttered, rolling his eyes. "Good Lord. We not only 
have to deal with this Glory bitch, we have to watch Cordelia and Willow 
play some silly game."

"I wouldn't mind watching them play, depending on the game," Gunn said, 
wriggling his eyebrows and leering.

"Charles," Wesley warned.

"Oh, I love it when you get all authoritative," Gunn said, pulling his 
shirt over his head. "Why don't you show me just how good you were?"

Wesley began to unbutton his shirt, a slow smile crossing his handsome 
face, "Are, baby. It's how good I am."