“The dragons were cool,” Gunn said as the credits scrolled.

“Not to mention Matthew McConaghy. Dayum.”

Gunn stared at her. They were sprawled comfortably on Cordelia’s couch watching movies. Lately they’d been spending a lot of evenings this way when there weren’t any helpless that needed helping. “Cordy, what’d I tell you about trying to be all Ghetto gal? And didn’t you tell me I wasn’t allowed to drool over Miss Bootalicious Berry in your presence?”

“Cause life isn’t fair?”

Gunn snorted. “Well, Duh.”

Cordelia sniggered. “If I can’t do Ghetto, then no Valley for you.”

“Deal.” He leaned forward for more snacks and was disappointed. “Hey, woman, we need more salsa. And chips. And guacamole, and tequila. Must more tequila.”

“Must more?” she snickered. “English is your only language Charles, don’t abuse it. And get me a Breezer while you’re in there.”

“Shit.” But he got up.

Re-supplied, they watched The Matrix, which Gunn had seen more times than he was ever admitting to. He’d bet he hadn’t seen it as many times as Wes had though. There was more drooling on Cordelia’s part.

“Keanu. Whoa.”

Gunn raised an eyebrow. “So, that’s what you like.”

“Yeah. Well, not only. Larry’s kinda hot too.”

“Hey, don’t feel like you have to find the brother attractive just 'cause I’m here.”

“O.K. I don’t think he’s that cute. You know what would be great though: if they got Denzel for the sequel. Denzel in a long black leather coat. That would be the shit.”

“Cordy, don’t let me have to tell you again about the Ebonics.”

“’Kay. Want to watch another flick?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“My pick.”

Cordelia really liked The Truth about Cats and Dogs: smart brunettes beat clueless blondes, amen. She was grateful that vampires didn’t snore.

“You can wake up now. It’s over.” Cordelia nudged Gunn’s shoulder. He sat straight up, drowsily confused.

“Huh. Oh. So uh, what happened?”

“Not much. They overcame their difficulties and lived happily ever after, blah, blah, blah.” She switched off the player and leaned back against Gunn, yawning.

“Gettin’ late.”

“Yeah. And you’re still way too drunk to drive. You can crash on the couch.”

“Thanks.”

”Um.” Neither of them moved. It was just too comfortable like this. Cordelia felt safe with Gunn around. She knew he’d stand between her and any danger. She knew she could trust him, he’d never let himself get sidetracked by some blonde obsession. Gunn was her stand-up guy.

“So, you think Angel would ever let Wes come back?” Gunn asked.

Cordelia froze. “I hope not.”

Gunn frowned. “That’s kinda cold. I miss him and we could really use…” Cordelia raised her hand.

“Gunn, stop talking now. Wesley’s on my don’t want to talk about list.”

“He’s our friend. I know he fucked up, but he saved all our asses when Angelus got out and…”

"No! He left me with Angelus for *two days* Gunn. Because pulling me out of hell wasn't a priority. "

“It wasn’t his fault, I’m the one who I let you down. Let both of you down.”

The deep sorrow in his voice and his face killed her rant. "Gunn. You did everything you possibly could. You didn’t let me down, or Fred."

“I woulda moved to Texas for that woman,” he said quietly.

“She knew that, right?”

“Yeah, she knew everything about me.”

“That’s something no-one can ever take away from you. And we know she went to heaven. If anyone deserved it was her.”

“Hell, I might even have a chance, we know they ain’t too picky, they let Buffy in.”

“Yeah, but they kicked her out.” They swapped half-guilty glances before dissolving into laughter.

“You’re evil,” Cordelia sniggered.

“Naw, I’m bad. Big difference.” Gunn grinned. And then he kissed her.

Oh. Kay.

Gunn was a damned good kisser. His lips moved on hers like he was trying to tell her something important. She was pretty sure she knew what he was trying to tell her, but she wasn’t sure what her answer was. She'd never really thought about Gunn that way. Sure she’d noticed he was a hottie, she wasn't blind and it wasn't that he was black, because: Eric Benson and also Denzel. Maybe it was that he seemed so young, with that baby smooth face and those big brown eyes…though he’s actually a couple years older than her. Maybe it was just that he joined the group so late he always seemed like a junior partner, whatever. And then he fell for Fred which considering that Stick-figure Barbie comment (for which he still needed to pay) was kinda funny and well, she didn’t poach.

Dear God the man could kiss. His cool and gentle hands traced up and down her back. There were so many reasons why her answer ought to be sorry, no. But she couldn’t be bothered with any of them. She felt the tension in him go as her mouth opened and let his tongue slip inside her mouth. They sat there, tongues and lips dancing and sliding, tasting each other until she had to breathe and pulled away.

“Damn, Cordy.” They stared at each other, Cordelia gasping for breath, Gunn gaping in shock.

“Damn yourself Charles. Where’d that come from?”

“Been saving it up for awhile now.”

They looked at each other, uncertainty and heat crackling between them.

“Oh. So was that it?” Gunn’s slow grin made a pulse throb deep between her legs.

“Hell no. Plenty more where that came from – if you want it.”

He was looking at her just a big puppy dog, she could kick him and he’d still love her. But why the hell would she want to do that? “Yeah? Well bring it on.”

She wanted him. Goddamn. Her eyes were huge and dark and when she spread her legs just a little the undeniable perfume of desire drifted out. Sweet Baby Jesus, Cordelia wanted him. He was twisting on a wire, caught between panic and joy. It was a damn good thing his soul didn’t have an escape clause.

A flicker of doubt ran across her face as he hesitated. Gunn realized that this was not the time for a whole lot of thinking. This was action time.

He moved, had her pinned with his hands on either side of her head before she knew he was moving. He buried his face in her throat and took a deep long breath of her. Expensive fragrances, clean slightly damp skin, youth, good health and everything that made up her unique scent.

He nibbled teasingly along the delicate line of her collarbone, while deftly unbuttoning her blouse. Her breasts trembled with the force of her gasps and giggles till it looked like the lacy purple bra might not be able to hold them. He worked his way down to her chest and the valley of her cleavage. He pressed his open mouth against her sternum, tasting the salt on her skin his whole body ringing with the rhythm of her heart. She moaned, her leg rubbing against his crotch and he swore he felt every downy hair on her legs through the denim trapping his cock.

“Hey!” Cordelia complained when he tore off her bra. She forgot about it the next moment as he sucked a nipple into his mouth. She groaned and arched off the bed, reaching out blindly for him to pull him closer. His hand moved between her legs to the source of the scent that was filling his head. He traced her folds with his fingertips then probed delicately inside her. The feel of her, wet and soft clenching around his fingers was nearly enough to set him off but he controlled himself. Not gonna blow this. One finger, then two, moving in and out of her, his thumb doing the friction dance on her clit while his mouth and other hand played with her nipples. Her skin was flushed with her arousal and part of him hated that he thought about the blood but another part didn’t really care because she was here with him and she was screaming as she reached her peak and biting down on his shoulder and Fuck! White light exploded behind his eyes and he collapsed beside her.

“God,” she said when she could speak. Gunn smirked.

“Nope. Gunn.” He jumped up and gathered her up into his arms. Kissed her startled mouth. “Gonna teach you to say it tonight if it’s the last thing I do.”

The red letters glowed against the dark screen when she double-clicked on the file.

WARNING: Non-authorized persons detected accessing this file will be terminated.

Lilah pricked her finger and calmly pressed her bleeding thumb to the screen. There was a faint chime as the document opened.

Name of Project: The South Central Candidate

Goals:

Locate suitable containment facility

Status: Complete

Ensure that facility is fully supplied and modified

Status: Complete

Hire Security Staff

Status: complete

Hire Field Operatives

Status: complete

Hire Specialists

Status: Complete

Acquire Subject

Status: Pending

Not for long, Lilah thought, closing the file.

Cordelia struggled back to consciousness, and wished she hadn’t. Her head felt like a leaky balloon and there was a hamster nesting in her mouth. It took her a little while to realize that she wasn’t alone. Her bare ass was spooned into a firm, slightly cool male body, one brown-skinned arm draped around her waist. Three guesses who, and the first two don’t count. Oh yeah, now she remembered: movies, alcohol, Gunn, unfuckingbelievable good sex…

She didn’t have any idea what they’re going to do. So she just laid there and enjoyed watching Gunn sleep. He really was a pretty man. His long lashes lay dark against his smooth brown skin, none of that vampire pallor for him. She kinda thought he was better looking now than before not that she’d ever say so. Gunn still wasn’t exactly happy about being a vampire though he’d sure made use of the physical advantages last night. Da-yum.

Gunn opened his eyes as though he’d heard her thinking in Ebonics. The look he sent her was more than a little nervous.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” She smiled and rested her hand on his chest. He put his hand over hers and she relaxed a little.

“So, what is this? Uhm. Us I mean.”

“Fun? Good friends having some fun, together?”

“Yeah, yeah. O.K. That’s cool.”

“I mean, it’s not like either of us is in any shape for serious commitment, right?”

“Yeah.” He squeezed her hand and they lay there together, comfortable. Daylight crept around the edges of the curtains that Dennis, bless him, must have closed before sunrise. She could hear her neighbors getting ready for work, doors slamming, cars starting. Should she start calling him Charles? Or Charlie, Chuck, Carlos – naw, Gunn’s good.

“I guess you can’t leave until sundown. Guess I’d better call Wes and tell him you won’t be in.”

Gunn went very still. “Oh shit. When Angel finds out about us he’s gonna lose it!”

“Huh? How’s he going to know?” Gunn tapped his nose. Cordelia grimaced. “Oh, ew. Forgot about the super senses. Well, you can just tell him you stayed over at my place and, um, I loaned you some of my clothes.”

Gunn was unconvinced. “Right, I’ll tell him I sleepwalked into your bed.”

“Don’t think he’ll buy that one?” Gunn just looked at her.

Cordelia sighed. “Me neither. Dammit, it’s not like it’s any of his business anyway!” She started working herself into a good mad. “He’s with Buffy! ”

Gunn snorted. “Get real; we both know better than that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. As far as he’s concerned it don’t matter that he’s doing Buffy, you’re still his.”

“Pfft. The hell!”

“Don’t give me that evil look, I ain’t Angel. And don’t act all surprised, like you don’t know he watches you. All the damn time. Sneaking around the office trying to be sly. I don’t know how the hell blondie’s missed it.”

Cordelia snorted. “Hell, that’s easy: Angel stalking me doesn’t fit into Buffy’s world, so it never happened.”

“Neat trick.”

“Seems to work for her. So. What’s the plan? Buy a couple of tickets for Tahiti on the company credit card? Or confront Mr. Broody and point out there’s nothing in the employee’s handbook banning in-office dating?”

“I was thinking more: we shower, you lay on the perfume and we both stay as far away from Angel as we can until the evidence fades and we can pretend this never happened.”

“Oh. First part – sounds good, but that second part – do you really want to play it that way?”

Gunn’s eyes were very dark and serious. “Hell no.”

Cordelia let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Well, good then.”

“We’re playing with fire here,” Gunn said.

“So? He’ll have to come through me to get to you.”

“Holdin’ you to that Barbie.”

Wesley looked up from his book as a soft breeze ruffled his hair.

“Fred,” he said with a smile as he watched her coalesce from the air. Now that she has the hang of it, she can make her image so sharp and opaque it was only when he tried to touch her that the illusion was revealed.

“Hiya Wes, whatcha reading?”

“Ah, a new translation of Nibelung’s Swartzen Wasser. It includes material that was omitted from the previous 1889 edition… Where have you been?”

“Over at the hotel, checking in on Charles.” She almost told him that he’d been up on the roof kissing the hell out of Cordelia, but stopped herself. She couldn’t see any harm in Wes knowing, but she’d never been good at making those kinds of judgments and she suspected she’d gotten worse since her death.

“Ah. How are the doughty warriors of Angel Investigations?”

“They’re doing better. And don’t be snippy just because Charles hasn’t called you, he’s been very busy lately.” Busy sneaking around with Cordelia behind Angel’s back, she thought with a little smile. “Why don’t you call Charles?”

“I wouldn’t want to make a nuisance of myself.” Lord, she hated that little self-pitying sigh of his. Swear to God if she ever got the chance she was gonna put her foot so far up Wyndham-Price Senior’s butt he’d end up with athlete’s foot of the tongue.

“Wesley, stop being an ass. Gunn’s your best friend. Call him!”

“Fine. I will.”

“Well?”

He gave her a sullen look but picked up the phone and dialed.

“Hello, Gunn? Wesley here.” He looked like someone expecting a blow. “Yes, so how are things going? Good, good. Ummm. I don’t suppose you’d like to go out for a few drinks…“ He laughed. “Certainly fewer than the last time... Friday night around 8 at the John Bull? That will give me a chance to kick your arse properly at darts. I’ll see you then.” He hung up with a smile on his face.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“No. You were right. Again.” He frowned. “Gunn sounded a trifle distracted. I hope there’s nothing wrong with him.”

“He’s fine.” Fred said, manifesting what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face.

Wesley studied her for a moment, then looked away. “Ah well. So, you were at the hotel.”

“Not all day. Part of the time I was with Dennis. Like I told you, he’s been teaching me how to move things around. Ah hate this. Not havin' a body just makes me so mad.”

“I don’t know, at least you don’t have to worry about being injured.”

“Wesley, you know I love you, but you can really be a jerk sometimes! Do you know what it’s like to not be able to touch anyone or anything? I can’t call my parents. No-one but you and Lorne can see or talk to me! Being a ghost sucks!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think… wait, you love me?”

“Of course I love you! Always did.”

“But you and Gunn…”

“Wesley, I knew you were kinda interested in me, and I was definitely willing to be interested what with that sexy accent and everything, but you weren’t doin’ anything about it. Charles was just so sweet and he didn’t leave me in any doubt about how he felt.”

“I suppose if he could see you, you’d be with him not me.”

“Dammit Wesley! Yes I love him and of course I want to be with him.” She came closer, stepping into the tabletop so she could be nose to nose with him. “But I love you too, and bein’ as I’m dead I figure I don’t have to play by the old rules. I don’t want to choose, and I’m not goin’ to. You all are just going to have to live with that.”

“You want both of us? And suppose I – or Gunn didn’t wish to share?”

“Then one of you is going to lose out.” He looked at her as though she’d grown an extra head. She checked just in case. Nope. She relaxed and smiled at him.

“Well… It’s all fairly academic in any case.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Haven’t been watching Gunn all day. Mostly I was with Dennis, taking lessons. Want a demonstration?”

She moved closer, her hand rested on his as it has many times before, weightless and utterly insubstantial. He jerked in shock when he felt her ghostly fingers resting on his.

“Fred! I felt. I can feel your hand! How did you…oh!” He gasped as Fred shifted her attention to a more intimate area.

“Told you, I’ve been taking lessons from Dennis.”

“Dennis? Where did Dennis learn – oh my good Lord!”

“Well, he used to…” Just in time she realized she might not want to give out Cordelia’s private business. “Uh you know, like I said, just teaching me how to manipulate matter.”

“Fred!” he gasped before losing the power of speech entirely.