Roomies

Disclaimer: The characters of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel: the Series Universes (Angel, Cordelia, Spike, Xander, Doyle, etc…) are the creation of Joss Whedon and are, therefore, the property of him, Mutant Enemy (Grr, Arg), and 20th Century Fox (and all other affiliated parties). No money is gained from this work as it is created purely for the enjoyment of others. Please do not sue.

AN: Constructive criticism and friendly fedback are always appreciated. Flames will be used to warm my toes.


~Part 26: Hairy Day at the Office~


Doyle stood in the middle of the office holding a ruler much like he had the crossbow from the night before. His eyes drifted over to Spike before he continued his reenactment. “I’m th’one tha’ yah followed. It’s me yah want.” He jerked the ruler back then lunged forward as he provided sound effects. “Tchwa, ha!”

He grinned over at Spike then said as he stood up straight, “Fangs fer th’ mem’ries, Vamp Man.”

Spike started to laugh and Doyle looked over his shoulder to see what had the vampire in hysterics. Xander and Cordelia stood side by side next to his desk. Cordelia waved and Xander raised a hand to his mouth to cover up his grin.

“Hey,” Doyle said, dropping the ruler on the nearest flat surface and easing his hands into his pockets. “I was jes—Yah know, tha’ wasn’t—”

“An incredible spaz attack?” Cordelia asked as she walked over to Spike. She poked the vampire in the side in an attempt to get him to stop giggling as she said, “Good.”

Doyle glared at Cordelia before looking back at Xander and asking, “Uh, so yah were—wha’ c’n I do fer yah?”

Xander shifted uncomfortably as he walked towards Doyle. “Well, I’ve been thinking…”

Cordelia cleared her throat as she pulled Spike’s arms up to encircle her stomach. At Xander’s look, she cocked an eyebrow at him.

“—With Cordy’s help,” Xander added, rolling his eyes. “.. Maybe I haven’t given you a very good chance…”

Cordelia shook her head. “What Xander is *trying* to say is that you don’t actually have zero potential.”

Doyle stared at Cordelia for a minute, not quite sure what he was supposed to say to that. He looked from Xander to Cordelia and Spike and back to Xander again.

“Wow, Cordy,” Xander muttered, “way to be smooth. I think maybe *I* should take it from here?”

With a shrug, Cordelia snuggled herself more firmly into Spike’s arms. “Whatever. It’s your loss. You should know my excellent people skills by now.”

Xander gave a frustrated sigh and ran his hand through his hair, mussing it up endearingly. He looked Doyle in the eye and said, “What you did last night was unforgettable. I was thinking that maybe…”

While he paused, the door opened and a woman with long, curly, strawberry blonde hair walked in. She smiled at the room in general and waited uncomfortably just inside the doorway still holding onto the door handle.

“If you’re looking for Angel Investigations, this is it,” Cordelia said, stepping out of Spike’s arms.

Doyle turned to look at the woman and a look of shock covered his face. He vaguely recognized Cordelia rattling on, but didn’t hear what she said. He took a step back and forgot to shiver when his arm brushed with Xander’s.

“Hey, Francis,” she said softly, her voice just as he remembered it.

“Harry,” he managed to strangle out. He didn’t know why he was having so much trouble dealing with the sight of her, but he was.

“Francis?” Spike asked, amused.

Doyle looked down at his feet after watching Harry bite her lip. It was such a familiar action that he could barely get out, “Um… wh—where yah bin?”

“Around,” she said with a shrug. She looked away in thought as she rattled off, “Um… Kiribati, Togo, Uzbekistan. A few spots that were, uh… a little less touristy.”

“Who’s Francis?” Cordelia asked, confused.

“Tha’ would be me,” Doyle said. He paused and managed to tear his eyes away from Harry long enough to look at Cordelia while he explained, “Allen Francis Doyle.”

Cordelia looked slightly amused at that. She glanced over at Spike and shared a moment of amusement with him on Doyle’s behalf.

Unaware to the exchange going on just behind him, Doyle said emotionlessly, “This is Harry. My wife.”

~~~

Xander’s entire face fell. He took a few steps back and leaned against the nearest desk trying to compose himself. He didn’t notice when Cordelia came over to hug him or when Harry came into the office, closing the door behind her. The only thing he was aware of was the fact that once again, he had put his heart into the hands of a demon only to have it messed with.

Sure it probably wasn’t his fault that Doyle had a wife but maybe if he had been a little more secure he wouldn’t be in the position he was now. Doyle had made it clear that he had been willing for something to happen between the two of them from the start but Xander had been unwilling to take that step.

He watched disconnectedly as Doyle and Harry hugged and felt an iciness fall over him. As Angel entered the room he took a step forward and said, each word dripping with venom, “Angel, come and meet Doyle's wife.”

Angel nodded at the woman and held his hand out for her to shake. “Nice to meet you,” he said with a lack of emotion that hinted otherwise. The pheromones of pure anguish wafting off of Xander weren’t something that he was enjoying at the moment. In fact, they had been so strong that he had walked out of his office thinking maybe that one of Xander’s family members were in trouble or something like that.

“Hi,” Harry said with a grin. She looked around and said, “Cool offices.”

Doyle stepped forward, leaned against the railing, and said, “Yeah, I’m a private investigator now. This is my company and these are my helpers.”

Xander snorted indelicately and seized the opportunity to leave the room. He entered the private office and dropped into the nearest chair. His head fell into his hands and he groaned softly. He couldn’t completely drown out the voices like his momentary shock had but he could hum softly and pretend like he couldn’t hear them.

A few minutes later Angel walked in, dragging a protesting Cordelia with him preceded by Spike. The younger of the two vampires crouched in front of Xander’s chair and watched him until Xander looked up.

“He’s just being dragged into the past, pet,” Spike stated. “Don’t let it get to you.”

“Right,” Xander said as he leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling so that he could avoid Spike’s knowing gaze.

“You don’t think there’s little things that make me think of Dru?” Spike asked. “Things like a certain bloody scent or the way Cordy does her hair. For a moment the past will overwhelm me and it takes a few minutes for me to snap out of it. Doyle has a whole person, not just a memory to deal with right now.”

Xander sighed and looked back at Spike. “But they know that you won’t go running back to her.”

“Nothing’s ever written in stone, mate. With vampires there’s certain steps that need to be taken to make things permanent,” Spike stated as he stood up. “I very well could run off to find Dru. It’s more likely that I would wake up dead come morning but it still could happen.”

Xander snorted in laughter. “You wake up dead all the time,” he stated.

Spike grinned, “Zactly.”

Angel took a step forward. “Harry will leave town and you will stay. Who do you think Doyle will want more?”

“It’s the answer to that, that I’m afraid of,” Xander explained.

~~~

Xander walked over to stand by Cordelia as Harry made her way towards the inner office. He quickly started babbling about the one time about six months ago that Buffy had dragged him along to kill the gremlin living in the copier at the Sunnydale Public Library. Just as he was getting to the part where he had to pick the locks to the copier’s toner compartment, Harry interrupted by clearing her throat.

Cordelia turned to face the older woman with a friendly smile. Although Harry’s presence was seriously messing with Xander’s chances with Doyle this was the first female that Cordelia had had a chance to talk to in too long. She wasn’t about to alienate the other woman. “Hi,” she greeted enthusiastically.

“Hey,” Harry relied. She glanced at Xander curiously before looking back at Cordelia. “Uh, Francis said that you would help me with these?”

Cordelia took the blue documents from the other woman and started the copying process before Harry could say another word. Xander snickered, now knowing that Cordelia was just as bad as he was about eavesdropping.

As they waited for the machine, Harry half turned so that she was facing Cordelia and Xander still but also able to watch her ex and her fiancé. She grinned, glanced at Cordelia then looked back out the window. “This is perfect,” she said. “Richard really wanted a moment alone with Doyle so that he could invite him to his bachelor party.”

Startled, Cordelia asked, “Bachelor party?”

“What a kick in the gut,” Xander muttered at Harry’s nod.

Cordelia elbowed Xander in the ribs. “Why? Is he afraid he ordered too much beer?” she asked cautiously.

“And you thought *I* was being insulting?” Xander demanded, astonished.

Harry smiled at Cordelia’s and Xander’s dynamic. “Richard and his family want Doyle’s blessing before he marries me.”

“What, they couldn’t just ask him then go and have the party without him?” Xander asked.

“They’re shweet demons,” Harry said not at all bothered by Xander. “They’re very into good vibes all around.”

“They do sound nice,” Cordelia said softly, grinning widely.

Xander snorted. “They sound like they don’t care just how much their wish for a blessing could hurt Doyle. It’s like having ex-girlfriend’s new guy asking if you wanna go on a double date with them just so that you can see how happy they are together.”

Harry shrugged. After a pause, she turned completely away from the window. “You know, Richard’s mom told me to invite friends to my shower but I’ve only been hanging out with Richard’s family since we got here. You’re the first people I’ve met in town under 370 years old. Do you think maybe you’d wanna—?”

“We’d love to,” Cordelia interrupted.

Xander looked offended. “Cordy, it’s a stag-ette party!”

“And you were invited so you’re coming,” she replied.