010: [visual] & [location: Hyperion Hotel] Don't mean to sound all movie-of-the-week or anything

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

"Guys, let's have a chat, shall we? I'll go to the hotel. You better be there when I come in." These words were spoken in a sweet tone, but the intent behind them was far from sweet. Finally, finally after several weeks of wondering - should I, shouldn't I ask? - Cordelia had come to a decision. And it wasn't pretty.

She went to a hatch and took out a bottle of vodka - something she deemed was necessary for her chat with Angel and Wesley. She'd get one man drunk or bash the other over the head with it - whatever's necessary to get some answers. She's tired of playing the ignorant role that they've unwittingly assigned to her, and damnit, Cordelia was going to listen to how the hell her friends ended up working for the enemy. She knew she wouldn't like it - but at least she would know.

"Angel?" she called, stepping into the hotel. She deposited her tablet on the counter. "Wesley! Where are you? I need to--"

BAM.

The room spun, and somewhere in her head there was an incessant buzzing. The bottle she held crashed to the floor, breaking into pieces and spraying liquid everywhere. Cordelia took several steps back, her mind numb and aching and geez, was it a vision? Impossible! Visions weren't supposed to hurt anymore since she was--

--lost?

When she opened her eyes, she found herself alone in a lobby of some sort. There was a broken bottle in front of her; where did it come from? Frowning, she avoided the mess and looked around. No. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't!

"Hello?" she called timidly, heading towards the counter. "Anyone here?" She picked up a phone-like thing and peered at it curiously. "What... where the hell am I?"

[Cordelia's amnesia glitch. Hello salty confusion!]

Comments

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's just a lot to take in. And, well, despite everything, a seed of doubt begins to grow in her head.

Maybe he's the crazy one.

"So. What you're saying is that we've all been kidnapped? And not even at the same time? Brought into some place else for the heck of it?"

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

Wesley reads the expression on her face and holds up his wrist, tapping the 'bracelet', and nodding at her own. "For reasons unknown, at least."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

She looks down at her own wrist, brings it up so she can inspect it.

"And what?" she continues. "I just arrived now? Does the trip give instant amnesia to everyone or am I just so special that I--"

It's at this point that she sinks to the floor, all the confusion and anger draining her of energy. She buries her face on her hands and succumbs to a few short sobs.

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

Wesley quickly crosses to her and kneels down on the floor next to her, gently placing an arm over her shoulders. "I'm sorry. I know this is a lot to take in. You actually arrived some time ago; I'm not sure what's causing your amnesia."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

If she can only draw comfort from that touch. Maybe she did, once upon a time. Now it feels like a gesture from a stranger, and she feels like recoiling and scooting away from him to hide somewhere - but doesn't.

"I'm okay," she whispers. "I'm okay." Quickly, she tries to regain her composure. Maybe this Cordelia person never cries. Or maybe she's the type of girl who cries all the time.

She doesn't know. And that's the problem.

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"It's okay if you're not," Wesley offers. "I'm so sorry, Cordelia. Would you rather I take you back to your apartment? Or you could choose any empty room in the hotel, if you'd like. This is a lot to take in."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

"Apartment," she replies earnestly. "I want to go home."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"All right," Wesley nods. "I'll take you home."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

She flashes him a quick, grateful smile, before rising to her feet. "Thanks, Wesley."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"Anytime," Wesley smiles back. He moves to pick up her tablet before he starts to walk to the front door, checking to make sure she's following.

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

And she is. Stepping out of the hotel meant stepping into some place far larger and, well, unknown - but at least she's going home. To her apartment. Where she lives. Maybe there's something there that can jog her memory, or something.

"So um..." she pauses, unsure of how to ask the next question. "Can you tell me about her? Cordelia, I mean. Uh, me."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"I'm a bit biased," Wesley can't help but grin. "We've been friends and colleagues for several years." He considers things he can say, perhaps to cheer her up. "Actually we shared a ridiculous crush on each other when we first met, which ended in two very awkward kisses, and we've remained very good friends who bicker like children at every opportunity."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

"Very good friends?" she repeats, smiling back at him. So that's why he was so... well, affected. Maybe.

"Two awkward kisses, huh." Well, maybe she can't help herself, in the past - he does look good and everything. She wonders why they never worked out.

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

Don't be confused by the British reserve, Cordy. He loves you like a sister.

"Extremely," Wesley nods. "It's all rather silly in hindsight. You were seventeen and you said I looked like James Bond in my ridiculous suits, and I'd just gotten to America and I thought you looked like an actress in an American movie." He shrugs easily. "But we never had any spark, so to speak. Not like that."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

She has to laugh at that. Trying to imagine him in a ridiculous suit is a bit hard - she had to stare at him for some time before the image even comes to her. Still, when it does... it's pretty darn amusing.

"So now we're the type of friends who would... use weird orbs and incense to see if the other is sick, is that it? Kinda a big, creepy leap from the awkward-kissing days, if you ask me."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

Wesley's already decided, with everything Cordy's dealing with, that now is not the time to spring 'magic is real' on her. "It's a complex relationship," he drawls instead, grinning. "You call me a stuck-up British bookworm, I insinuate that you get everywhere on your looks, we've both saved each others' lives a half dozen times over . . . oh, and I was your boss for a bit."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

It sounds... well, otherworldly, actually.

"We saved each others' lives?" she asks, thinking that he must be joking. "Do we have a dangerous job?"

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"Very much so. But I'm guessing by now you already think I'm crazy enough, so I should probably hold off on the details until I can offer some sort of proof," he pointed out dryly. "Or at least collaboration."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

"Gee. Was I that obvious?"

It's not that she doesn't believe him or anything... or, okay. She doesn't. Normal people don't live like that, with the shiny orbs and incense and whatnot.

"Collaboration? Oh, right. You mentioned something about... friends being here, too."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

Wesley just chuckles as her dry tone before addressing her actual question.

"Our mutual friend and once employer, Angel, is here, as well as our friend and associate Winifred, who likes to be called Fred. Also your high school classmates, Buffy and Willow, Buffy's little sister Dawn, the former high school librarian, Mr. Giles . . . Xander left last month, let's see . . . Spike's a friend of Angel's, he's all right. You may run into Gwen, who's somewhere between a friend and a suspicious acquaintance, and Drusilla or Ethan Rayne, both of whom are very dangerous. You'll be able to recognize Illyria, she looks like Fred except she's blue and comes across as somewhat insane; it's a long story, better not to antagonize her. I think there may be more of Buffy and Willow's friends whom you may know, but I've not met them." He paused, thinking. "I believe that covers everyone we know from home. Though you've made a fair few friends while you've been here, as well."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

"I think I need to write all that down. Especially those ones I shouldn't... antagonize," she says - but this time she isn't joking.

"Angel," she says. "Oh, that big guy with the girlish name. Yeah, I saw him earlier. Said his real name was... Liam?" She snorts. "Who calls himself 'Angel'? I mean, really."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"I'll make a list for you, if you'd like. With photographs," Wesley offered.

He grinned at Cordy's words. "You have to forgive the man; he's Irish," he chuckled, and then snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot Doyle. He's a very good friend of yours and Angel's; I've not really had a chance to get to know him yet."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

"British, Irish. That's me; I make friends from all over the world."

She nodded at that idea. "That would be great, actually. List of names with pictures. Then I could just memorize them and pretend that everything's fine and dandy."

[an-ex-watcher.livejournal.com]

"And from all over other worlds, too," Wesley drawls, unable to help himself. "Nevermind," he adds quickly, "we're here."

[glowingseer.livejournal.com]

Wesley will get a raised brow for that 'other worlds' comment, but she doesn't reply; instead opting to step ahead of him to open the door to her apartment.

She steps inside, waiting for something, anything familiar to hit her. Walking slowly, she takes a tour of the place, finally ending where she began - in the living room.

"Nice view," she says, indicating the large window. "I've got a nice view. That's... great."