The Future Is What We Make

In small groups they arrived at they Hyperion Hotel. The first to arrive at the hotel were Larry, Andrew with their daughter Kim accompanied by Cheryl, followed shortly that day by four more people with a small half-demon child and later another five with two children in tow. Cordy's eyes widened at the sight of Larry, she frowned at the way he was behaving with that nerdy little guy from high school, Andy...Andrew. Her frown gathering as the two men drew protectively closer to the small child. Looking around them with cool, guarded expression that lighten at the sight of Willow coming down the stairs.

"Witch," they said softly, lowering their heads in a slight greeting of respect, before grinning at her, laughing at her expression of joy.

"Guys," she screamed flying down the stairs and dive bombing them, enfolding them in her arms. A shouting joyous reunion took place in the middle of the lobby, amid tears and laughter, exclaiming over her now flat stomach. She lead the way rapidly up the stairs talking a mile a minute, eager for them to see her daughter and sadden by what she knew would be their reaction to seeing Joyce.

Wesley, Spike and Doyle were the room getting acquainted with the newest member of the Hyperion. Spike stood uneasily, he could smell the poisonous corruption from the woman.

"I remember you, you were the one that came and got Buffy that night weren't you," Joyce whispered weakly.

Spike easily heard her, "Uhm yes, I did," he glanced around in desperation for someone to rescue him and caught Oz's hard, cold eyes. He gratefully looked up as the door open.

Willow gestured the people inside, their entire focus on the wasted body of the woman lying in the bed.

"My Lady," Larry whispered going to the bed and dropping to his knees. Paying his respects to her and for what she meant to him. When he had first admitted that he was attracted to men as well as women despite being in a serious relationship with Cheryl, she was there to comfort him as he cried long into the night confused about his sexuality. It was she that had convinced him to talk things out with Cheryl and to work on their problem.

"My Lady," Andrew knelt grally lly by the bed, kissing her withered hand. Had it not been for her, he never would have thought that Larry or Cheryl would have been interested in him especially since they were both involved with each other. He had been so confused, while he wanted and desired Cheryl, he also wanted and desire Larry. He knew that he was nothing to brag about being still so skinny and nerdy, and he had resolved to put his feelings aside, to never speak them aloud. But to his wonder, Larry loved him, they both loved him! For that he would eternally be grateful to her for making him believe that he was worthy of love. He leaned against his mates, sharing a kiss with each before turning to Joyce and smiling despite his tears. They all knew she was dying and this was one fight they knew they couldn't win.

Cheryl held their child as she knelt with her mates, had it not been for Joyce she never would have found two such wonderful courageous men. If it hadn't been for her, both she and Larry would never have had the courage to pursue Andrew. Her throat was thick with tears as she met Joyce's bright eyes, 'Thank you, My Lady' she thought to Joyce and by the brightening of her eyes, she knew Joyce understood.

Cordy peeked around the door, seeing the three people and child huddled together. She saw little nerdy Andrew bury his head in Larry's shoulders and couldn't restrain a gasp. Larry was gay! Then she blinked in confusion as Larry leaned over and kissed the brown-hair woman. Larry was not gay?!

Wesley and Doyle's mouths had dropped open, "Uhm, Willow are those two....uhm lovers...mates," Wesley stammered out, flushing at the cool look that suddenly appeared in Oz's and Willow's eyes.

"No," Willow said levelly, "Those three are mates," gesturing to the three people standing up, each in turn pressing a gentle kiss to Joyce's shriveled cheek.

"All three of them," Doyle gasped out, his eyes widening comically.

"We found that it is, it was a lot safer to combine households for mutual protection. Especially if children were involved," Oz said coolly, his eyes hard as he watched the men. If they so much as looked at them cross-eyed, he was going for their throats.

"Do you have a problem with that," Willow said coldly, her eyes glittering with beginning fury.

Doyle and Wesley looked at each other and chorused, "No, whatever gave you that I idea," innocent looks on their faces.

Cordy frowned before stepping forward, "Welcome to the Hyperion, I'm Cordelia Chase, but you can call me Cordy," she extended her hand with a wide smile, especially looking at Cheryl. Ooooh, Buffy is going to be soooooo mad when she seer. Mr. Maybe I'll forget to tell Queen Buffy that she had mates, she thought wickedly.

All of them glancing at each other in amazement at the ever so friendly Cordelia Chase and bemused, they hesitantly shook her hand.

More of the Sunnydalers began arriving that day and over the next couple of days. Cordy barely recognized the hard cold people that arrived. Their faces were familiar, but their eyes....dear God their eyes! Each person that walked through the doors looked like they had seen into the pits of hell. Their eyes were hard and almost inhumanly cold as they swept into the hotel. And there was one all too familiar face among the arriving people.

Cordy was just coming out of Angel's office on the third day of Xander's arrival, she frowned at hard faced, scarred blond woman, with butchered hair. A teasing familiarity running through her and she gasped as the woman glanced over at her with cold blue eyes.

"Harmony?!" She shrieked out, barely aware he che cool tenseness of the group. "My God it is you," she exclaimed coming forward, her attention focused on one of her former Cordettes, stopping abruptly as the Harmony stepped back and away from her.

"Harmony, don't you remember me," she whispered, pain filling her eyes as she searched the guarded blue eyes regarding her, for some recognition.

"Yes, Cordelia I remember you," Harmony said coolly, she glanced down at her mate, who instinctively stepped forward, knowing how difficult this was for his wife.

"Cordelia Chase, I almost didn't recognize you," Jonathan said quietly, his eyes cool.

"I'm sorry, do I know you," Cordy looked at the short man in confusion. Blinking at the cold amusement filling his eyes.

"No, fortunately we didn't run with the same crowd. You were with the beautiful people, while I was with the nerds," he said mockingly, feeling his wife grip his shoulder in a firm grip.

"Now Jonathan, you know I don't like to hear you say things like that," Harmony murmured in a low voice.

"Sorry dear," Jonathan muttered, pressing back against her warm body.

"Cordelia, we've changed from the geeky, the brainy, the beautiful and the jocks were were in high school. You were fortunate that you were able to get out when you had the opportunity, unfortunately, we were not so.....blessed," Harmony coolly said to the stunned Cordelia.

"So I see," Cordy murmured, looking at the horrid scar on Harmony's face, at the way both she and Jonathan held on to each other. The Harmony in high school wouldn't have been caught dead even being seen with the geeky Jonathan, much less voluntarily touching him.

"Do...do you blame me for getting away," she asked in a low voice, swallowing convulsively, guilt again eating away at her.

Harmony glanced at her husband, then around at their group: David Jenkins, Scott Hope Cheryl Miller and saw the answer in their cool eyes. She turned to Cordelia, "We don't blame you, you are the lucky one."

"B...but..but I abandoned you, how can you say that I'm lucky," Cordelia burst out, pain in her eyes.

"Cordelia, you are lucky in that YOU are still alive," Jonathan said quietly, remembering all their dead comrades.

And more kept coming, with Willow and Xander giving a breakdown on the leaders as they arrived: Riley, Graham and Forrest, former Initiative soldiers; Kim, Michael and Megan the remaining witches of a shattered coven.

It was only on the third day did they have a minor problem: Buffy.

"Well, well well, if it isn't little weedy Andrew Wells and the King of Nerds Jonathan Levinson." She shook her head mournfully, unrestrained glee shining in her eyes, "Man, I'm really gonna have my work cut out for me training you bunch of losers." She tsked tked mockingly, her eyes gleaming with the chance to get back at all the Sunnydalers looking at her with contempt. Just who the hell did they think they were, looking down on her?!

Xander looked up from greeting the new arrivals, glanced at Angel standing behind Buffy before looking away, it was Angel's call to make not his.

Angel put a hand on Buffy's shoulder, "Can I see you in my office for a minute please?"

Buffy gave him an inquiring look, her eyes narrowing warily, before swinging to stare at Xander who was carefully NOT looking at her.

"Sure," she said uncertainly walking down the stairs into his office.

Cordy looked at Xander, "Do you know what's going on," she whispered to him.

Xander gave her his best innocent look, "Me?! I just got here, remember?!"

"Xander, that look didn't work on me four years ago and it's not worki....," she broke off at the enraged yell coming from Angel's office, whipping around in shock before slowly turning around to look dangerously at the grinning Xander.

"Xander, if you don't tell me what the hell is going on I will call you by your full AND complete name and give you the smacking of your life!" Cordy started out in a low voice gradually raising it to a yell, not noticing the developing grins on the new arrival's faces.
She waited a moment before continuing, "Hey anything that pisses off Queen B is okay in my book," she laughed, trying to imagine the look on Buffy's face.

Just then the door to the office was ripped open by an obviously enraged Slayer. She stormed out, belatedly noticing how everyone was casually NOT looking at her. She flushed in embarrassed fury, gritting her teeth. She cast a cold look at Xander, she just knew it was his fault and she would find a way to make him pay, her eyes flicked to the grinning Cordelia, and that bitch too!

Angel stood in the doorway and summoned Xander with a weary sigh, shutting the door in Cordy's avid face.

"Well, I told Buffy the new," he said calmly.

Xander grinned, "So we heard."

Angel's left eye started twitching. Just great, absolutely great! He was angry with himself. He had always been extremely careful to never let himself get drawn or to be seen arguing with Buffy, Wesley, Cordy or Doyle. He had always tried to present a united front to their group of warriors. He was especially careful to make sure that there was no descention with Buffy. She was the one that worked extensively with their fighters and guards. Making sure their skills were up to par. He frowned, thinking how....inept some of the guards and fighters were. They had almost had a breach in their perimeter a few months ago. Fortunately, a couple of demons and humans coming in late had raised the alarms in time.

Buffy had raised holy hell with the four surviving guardsmen, berating them harshly, possibly making the men and women feel even worse. One of the guards had become so despondent that he had died of his injuries rather than go on, he had simply given up.

Angel had been a little appalled at Buffy's seemingly callous behavior with the men under her command. He remembered the hard look on her face as she replied, "Angel we are in a war, a fight for our lives and everything left in the world. If you don't like my methods then you find someone else to take over, to train them. I'm trying to do the best that I can with them, but some of them simply refuse to listen or even understand my simplest orders. If that g cou could take constructive criticism, that he was so weak as to give up, then we don't need that kind of person with us. That kinda attitude can and will only bring us down, infecting the rest of us.

Still feeling uneasy, he had backed off but he had quietly began questioning the guards and fighter. Some of what he was hearing was not adding up. They were split in that Buffy's teaching methods were overly harsh and that some of the people just didn't want to listen to her. But they all agreed that Buffy did not have a great deal of patience when teaching, nor did she like anyone to question anything she said. That person would soon find themselves picked to demonstrate a new fighting move, leaving the questioner laying bruised on the training floor.

He came back to the present, blinking as he realized that the boy had been calling his name.

Xander relaxed, seeing Deadboy's attention focused back on him, "Man for a minute there you had me worried. I'm the one that's supposed to zone out not you," he teased, feeling slightly relieved at the tiny smile on Deadboy's face. He frowned, why was he relieved to see a smile on HIS face? He must be sickening or something, or maybe he had gotten possessed again.

"How soon do you think your people will finally get here," Angel asked, he was anxious to see how well Xander's people did so that he could get back to finding people to work on the hotel.

Xander got up and paced, thinking out loud, "I think anybody that could make it should be here within the next couple of days," he said distractedly, his attention caught by the blue print on Angel's desk.

Without even thinking, he picked it up. He immediately spotted a couple of places where there would be trouble if constructed that way, he frowned thoughtfully, hopefully Jace and Meggie would be here, they'll be able to tell more. He raised his eyes from the blue prints, flushing as he realized what he had done.

Stammering apologies, he placed the blue print back on the desk, feeling relieved as Dea..Angel waved aside his apologies.

"Don't worry about it, besides, if I can't find some people to work on the plans, it's just paper anyway," Angel said wryly, flickering a finger at the blue prints as he sat behind his desk.

Xander's brows raised in surprise, "I'm sorry, I should have mention that most of the people here and the ones coming have experience in building houses and whatever else you want built," he explained as Angel looked at him with hope in his eyes.

"Xander, if your people could build this addition to the hotel they can all stay, your people won't have to worry about training as fighters."

Xander was suspicious of this turnabout, "Why the change," he asked warily.

Angel simply grinned, "Xander we have over a hundred fighters staying here and not ONE knows how to fix a damn thing! If it's not a weapon, they are totally clueless."

Xander began laughing seeing the problem, "Well we have carpenters, plumbers, cooks and even an electrician," his eyes twinkled as he said the last profession.

"Big deal," Angel snorted, "An electrician is someone we don't have a use for. No electricity in the hotel, remember?"

"Au contraire, mon ami," Xander held up a finger, "Our Sally can get this hotel up and running with electricity. It's just never been worth it to have a fully functioning house in Sunnydale, just in case some demon decides it wants your home," his expression turned dark and bitter from memories before he shook them off.

"With your hotel being warded and such, it'll take a pretty big force to storm this place and take it. I mean, you got all these demons running around and stuff," he explained.

"How did you know this place is warded," he asked, his expression wary.

"Willow," was the simple reply.

"Ah, yes of course," Angel nodded. "But as to that ward, it makes it so that if any demon gets past the guards they can't attack. Besides with all the different demons living here, it made sense NOT to have them attacking each other within these walls."

Xander raised a brow, "How about humans atttacking," his eyes widening, "That's why you got such a mix of humans and demons running around this place. Demon's protect outside the wards while the humans protect the inside. Smart tactics," he nodded approvingly.

Angel looked at him amused, "Glad you approve," he said dryly, watching as the boy flushed in embarrassment, he smiled to show he was only teasing.

Xander couldn't believe it! Deadboy wasn't brooding, wasn't angsting, he was making with the jokes and the teasing and SMILING! Now he knew he was in bizarro world or, his eyes narrowed suspiciously, it was.....

"Angelus," he gasped jumping back in alarms, scrambling for the door before taking up an extremely defensive stance. "So how the hell did you lose your soul when no one was looking." Oh shit, oh shit he kept silently chanting, me without a stake or a cross in sight! But wait a minute, Angelus-Demon: ward-no demons can attack. That meant that he could bitch slap the hell out of Angelus, he smiled cockily at that thought.

Angel rolled his eyes, "No, I am NOT Angelus. He is safely bound and is not getting out," he ignored Angelus chortled, **Ha! That's what you think, soulboy. You'll get tired of not being able to fuck somebody!**

"B..b..b..but you're smiling and making with the jokes....with me," Xander nearly squeaked out, not the most manliest sound he ever made, but it was better than screaming like a girl.

"What?! I can't smile or joke with you," Angel said annoyed.

"Well no," Xander frankly admitted, he hasten to explain himself, "It's just that before you never really bothered to make jokes or stuff. It was always Angelus that was Mr. Smiling-While-I-Ripe-Your-Face-Off, he was the one with the witty repartee thing going."

"I'm not Angelus," Angelus said shortly, glaring at the boy.

Xander was still wary, "You're sure? 'Cause with the ward I can bitch slap your ass to hell. One manly yell, not scream, from me and your ass would be stake tartar."

"I'm sure," Angel said with a thunderous frown.

"Ah, that's the Deadboy, I remember," Xander said relaxing.

"Because I'm frowning," Angel was now totally confused.

"Well, yeah," Xander said, blinking, "Usually whenever I was around you always had this kinda disgusted look on your face or was frowning and scowling at me," Xander shrugged, "And giving me that look that said what an idiot you thought I was."

Angel was stunned. "I..I..I never thought you were an idiot," he said slowly, "Annoying for the most part, but never an idiot. I was a little jealous of you to be frank."

Xander blinked, baffled by the strange reply, "Why?! I mean you were all Mr. Sexy Brooding Guy that had all the girls dying over you, and I don't mean dying in the sense that you were killing them. You had that superundeadstrength, the speed and even Buffy. What could you possibly be jealous of me about."


Angel regarded him thoughtfully, "Because you choose to fight? This fight against the darkness isn't part of your redemption or even something that you were born to do. Every day and night you made a conscious choice to go out and stand against the darkness with no expectation of any reward or anything. I didn't really have a choice if I wanted my redemption, you and Willow did. I used to watch the two of you research and fight night after night and it baffled me as to why you fought. I initially thought it was because you were in love with Buffy. But it wasn't until you came here that I realized the truth: you and Willow fought because you could and because you could see the darkness around you. This was your way of screaming 'NO!' into the darkness, shining the light on all it's ugliness. You and Willow choose to keep your eyes open to the darkness, when all you had to do was simply close your eyes."

Xander frowned, "But what else was we supposed to do, prete....," he trailed off as Angel nodded his head.

"You see, for you there was really no choice and that's why I admired you. Even with all your human frailty you kept fighting."

Both men were quiet, looking at each other.....a tentative olive branch was extended----and accepted, feeling the first stirring of, perhaps peace between them.