Goodbye Life As I Knew It

Author: PaulenaK ~ toukalah@hotmail.com

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Everything WWE belongs to Vince McMahon. Everything BTVS and ATS belongs to Joss Whedon. Song used in ‘Prologue’ is 'Goodbye to You' by Michelle Branch.

Pairing: Cordelia/Jericho, Willow/Jeff Hardy (Willow appears further along in fic)

Feedback: Is appreciated

'Denotes thoughts'

~Denotes song lyrics~

**

Prologue

**

'You’re all fired.'

Angel’s words kept circling around inside Cordelia's mind.

'Fired' FIRED… FIRED!'

She couldn't believe he had fired them! Fired Wesley and Gunn… fired 'her'!

What was she going to do now? Especially since she was still the human vessel used to transport icky and painful visions from the Powers That Be.

Wesley and Gunn both had stated that they wanted 'the good fight' to continue, a lot of people still needed helping they had said. Her eyes went heavenward. As if she didn’t know that! She had ‘Vocah’ to thank for that little insight. And even without Angel she knew within herself that she still wanted to help the helpless – ‘Needed’ to help the helpless.

She had never told Angel that she too was on her own path to redemption, her path wasn't as important as his though, that's why she had never mentioned it to him, or to anyone for that matter. The redemption she sought stemmed from her childhood, a childhood filled with walls and pretences… a childhood that a scared little girl had been subjected too, a childhood that rose to the surface now.

Feelings of rejection and self-loathing washed over her and she grabbed at her drink sitting before her on the bar top and downed it in one swallow.

She thought she had finally found a place she could be happy, a place she thought she was wanted and loved, only to be turned away… again and again and again.

"Another." She said not looking at the bartender as she pushed her glass towards him.

To think she had actually scolded herself for her selfish want of a purpose in this world… to belong… to fit in. It all seemed un-important when weighed up with Angel becoming human. So she had put him first. Promised to stay with him until he 'Shanshued'. Only she hadn't countered on Angel leaving them first… leaving her.

"Well… I have a purpose now," She muttered to herself raising her newly refilled glass and staring into its contents.

'He made me forget,' She thought, tears stinging the back of her eyes, she downed the Bacardi shot in front of her before waving at the bartender for another.

'Now they were gone.' She thought 'The people who I called my family.'

Tears stung behind her eyes as thoughts of Gunn and Wesley fluttered through her inebriated state.

"I killed them." She whispered softly.

'If it weren't for me and my stupid visions Wesley and Gunn would still be alive…'

"I couldn't even save their dead bodies from being mauled and torn from the hell beast in my vision," She whispered sadly.

'And to make matters worse Skip shows up stripping me of the visions. I, no longer was worthy of them. I had failed Angel… I had failed Wesley and Gunn… and I had failed the Powers That Be.'

Cordelia wasn't sure how many Bacardi shots she had downed but judging by the look on the bartenders face she was nearing her limit.

"Sue me." She waved her glass at him. "Another."

"One more," He said looking her straight in the eye before refilling her glass. "Then you're on the coffee-"

"Blah blah blah…" She took the glass from him and drank it before he had time to replace the bottle.

He shook his head at her a sympathetic look coming across his face as he moved to turn the radio up.

~Of all the things I believed in~

~I just want to get it over with~

~Tears form behind my eyes, but I do not cry~

~Counting the days that passed me by~

~I've been searching deep down in my soul~

~The words that I'm hearing are starting to get old~

~Feels like I'm starting all over again~

~The last three years were just pretend~

Cordelia wiped angrily at a tear that escaped and rolled down her cheek.

~And I said…~

~Goodbye to you~

~Goodbye to everything I thought I knew~

~You were the one I loved~

~The one thing that I tried to hold on to~

'Isn't that just like slow songs,' She thought, 'Kick a girl when she's down why don't yah.'

She looked up arching her eyebrow as the bartender refilled her glass.

"You looked like you could use it." He shrugged before moving off to serve a group of rather loud and rather drunk customers who had just walked in.

"Great," She sighed. "Now I'm getting pity from strangers."

~I used to get lost in your eyes~

~And it seems that I can’t live a day without you~

~Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away~

~To a place where I am blinded by the light~

~But it's not right~

Cordelia started humming along to the music as she gave herself up fully to the song closing her eyes to shield the tears that threatened to fall.

~And it hurts to want everything and~

~Nothing at the same time~

~I want what's yours and I want what's mine~

~I want you but I'm not giving in this time~

~Goodbye to you~

~Goodbye to everything that I knew~

~You were the one I loved~

~The one thing that I tried to hold on to~

As the song ended she raised her glass.

"Goodbye to you, Angel Investigations and goodbye to you, Cordelia Chase."

And downed the pity drink the bartender had slipped her and then tried to stand. Big mistake, her legs felt like jelly. Shooting the bartender a weary grin she righted herself.

"I think I'll just sit here a bit."

**

Part One

**

A year later…

She could hear the roar from the crowd overpowering that of the WWE

Announcers and she knew RAW was starting. Working here was a godsend as far as she was concerned, always on the go, moving from city to city, hotel to hotel. This is exactly what she needed right now. This suited her perfectly. She had gotten this job as a payback when she had saved the life of the WWE owner's son, Shane, from a mugger in the car park. 'Yep, a mugger.' She thought, a faint smile brightening her features a little. 'Who would have guessed that little ole me… once the part demon/seer to a champion would come face to face with a real live human mugger?'

She dipped her brush back into the bucket of soapy water. Shane's father Vince had wanted her to join the bandwagon as one of the Diva's, complimenting her on her perfect body and looks. She had almost gagged on that and made a quick mental note to wear baggier clothing. Feigning stage fright she soon after much deliberation wore down all his arguments about her becoming a Diva and with much collaboration on Shane's part, he agreed to bring her on as a stagehand with a promise that she could upgrade her status at anytime. Shane had become a friend during the first few weeks she was there but as time went on, with her ever present refusal of moving up the employment ladder… Shane had let her be. And then there were those not so frequent times she saw him backstage while she was on some errand when she'd feel his eyes on her, but she would just pull her cap down further to shield her face and carried on with her work. She didn't feel bad about shunning Shane's friendship, the one thing she couldn't have was friends, the one thing she didn't deserve was a friend. So she had retreated into herself only talking when being directly spoken to and only marginally at that much to the disappointment of those who tried to befriend her. The backstage crew had given her the name 'Ice Maiden' and soon it made its way around the arena.

If Sunnydale could see her now, she thought. The former May Queen of Sunnydale High on her hands and knees scrubbing out shower cubicles in a locker room.

"Got to admit I've done worse." She muttered remembering all the times she had scraped up demon entrails off the Hyperion lobby floor.

Another roar from the crowd signalled the first match was over, placing the bucket on the cleaning trolley she pushed it through the open doorway and down the hallway before the occupants of the room came back from their match.

**

Part Two

**

She pushed open another door exposing more shower cubicles awaiting her cleaning skills, she sighed at the clothes strewn around the room.

"Men are pigs." She muttered to herself as she pushed her trolley through the opening.

"Next time knock." Came a gruff voice from behind her.

"I… I'm sorry I didn't realise-"

"No you didn't. But, then again you back stage people aren't high up on the intellect scale." He shot back at her not masking the scorn and contempt that shone in his eyes. It was more then obvious he thought the back stage crew were beneath him.

'Wow.' She thought. Someone sure woke up on the wrong side of the gene pool! Now the old Cordelia would relish the thought of cutting this man's arrogant ego down a peg or two, but that Cordelia didn't exist anymore. She was just plain old ‘Chase’ now. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to her self.

He watched her curiously. She had this vacant look in her eyes... 'Maybe she was related to Kane' He thought. The anger at his previous match still raging away inside of him, he knew he was a cad for taking it out on a stagehand but he couldn't seem to stop. He needed an outlet and frankly - she was it!

"You're still here?" He rallied, "Are those blonde root's I see under that cap?"

Chase knew he was trying to goad her but she really couldn't care less. Pushing away her memories of a time long ago she decided there and then this very blonde and very dumb bombshell wasn't worthy of sharing her breathing space. Pulling her cap down further on her head she spun around, pushed the trolley back out of the room and shut the door.

Jericho eyed the closed door running a hand through his hair. What was wrong with him? The only time he insulted women was in the blasted storylines! With Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley being the only exception, he couldn't help but add. He walked out to the hallway but she was gone.

"Damn!" Sighing he made a mental note to seek her out later and apologise, after all she couldn't be that hard to find.

Sinking down on the wooden bench he closed his eyes and tried to focus on what went wrong tonight. He'd been ripped off that's what was wrong. Damn that HHH and his skanky trash ho of a wife! He had lost his title shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship thanks to that female shrek of a woman!

'She certainly is her father’s daughter.' He thought laying his head in his hands. He just hoped another chance at the title came up soon, that was the upside of wrestling, you could cheat your dirty little heart out but in the end there is always another match.

Gathering his things together he pulled the door open and gazed down the hallway again as if he were looking for someone before he turned and headed off towards Team Ex-Treme’s locker room.

* *

Opening the workers entrance to the hotel Chase slipped inside keeping to the shadows as she made her way up to her room. She never entered via the main entrance knowing most of the wrestlers lounged in the lobby and restaurant. Her body ached, her fingers felt raw and she needed sleep before heading out on patrol. Hopefully she would get a few hours of slumber before the images of Angel, Wesley and Gunn haunted her to consciousness. Patrolling took her mind off her past which seemed kind of ironic considering fighting demons and other night worldly foes was very much apart of her past life. Another epic journey for redemption, only this time it was a little different. This time when she fought a vampire or demon she hoped it would be her last, she hoped for her death. But, seeing as she was still standing here day in and day out she figured that even death was too good for her.

Settling on her bed she closed her eyes and waited for sleep and the inevitable nightmares, or tears and then sleep and then the nightmares. She sighed. Whichever came first, she was passed caring.

**

Part Three

**

5:00am found Chase stepping out of her room dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt, cap pulled down low over her head, water bottle in hand as she made her way to the roof top. It had kind of become a ritual now, no matter where the WWE went, which hotels the WWE stayed at, she always found herself seeking the peace and solitude that the early mornings brought, in so providing the perfect place of solitude for her to workout rather then in the hotel gym with everyone else.

Looking out at the city lights still flickering below to a wait as she was, the first ray’s of the sun. She closed her eyes and shut her mind to everything but the crisp morning air and raised her arms delighting in the slight gentle breeze that blew softly against her body. This was when everything in her world was right, in these brief moments she allowed herself to forget her past and to just feel a smile forming on her lips as she moved through her training sequence as the first rays of the sun touched her skin.

'If only I could live this moment forever.' She thought. But like always her eyes and mind would open and once again reality would hit her like a block of ice. And a tiny voice inside her would whisper 'You don't deserve peace, you don't deserve to forget. You deserve to be alone.' And alone she will be, till the Powers That Be found her worthy enough for death.

* *

Chris Jericho checked the back of his jeans to make sure his key card was there before pulling the door to his suite closed. His belly was rumbling, he had forgone dinner last night, he and Jeff Hardy opting to just head straight for the bar and man was he paying for it now. He couldn't help but think how Jeff was fairing.

Making his way into the hotel restaurant he spied his partner in crime seated at a table scoffing down what looked to be a large plate of scrambled eggs.

"That boy’s stomach is not only made of lead but it's a bottomless pit." He mumbled to himself before making his way over.

"Hey," Jeff acknowledged as Jericho slid into the chair opposite him.

"Hey yourself," He replied trying to act like his head didn't throb from there previous night's drinking binge.

Jeff set his fork down and looked his friend over quizzically.

"You look like crap."

"This from the guy who doesn't own a comb," He smirked his reply while accepting a cup of coffee from the waitress.

"All great men never owned combs." Jeff shot back poking his tongue out.

"All great men never got laid either." Jericho waggled his eyebrows teasingly.

"Guess that puts you two in the same boat," Matt laughed taking a seat at their table.

"Well, someone got a happy last night," Jeff muttered in a singsong voice as Jericho starting chuckling.

"And a darn good ‘happy’ it was too." Matt laughed winking at a blushing Lita as she joined them at the table.

"No details please, I just ate." Jeff said holding up his empty plate.

"Oh, you wish little brother." Matt said making Lita blush more. He couldn't help it. He was in love and seeing her blush like that only heightened that love. He turned to Jericho and noticed his eyes continually darting to the door as if he were waiting on someone to walk through. "Expecting someone?"

"Always," He smirked and they all groaned and rolled their eyes. "What?" He added with a laugh.

"Only you would take something completely innocent and turn it into something perverted." Jeff said finishing off his coffee.

"Yep, give me a few more days of sharing a room with you and I will have graduated on to fully perverted."

Jeff accepted his logic with a proud grin.

"Morning, oh, ‘bestest’ buddies of mine." Edge sidled up to them pulling a chair over from a neighbouring table and squishing in between Jeff and Jericho.

His greeting was met with grunts and growls from around the table.

"Whoa! Not morning people I see." He laughed then turned to Jericho. "I just saw the roster you're marked down for another match with Triple H, tonight."

"Yep, had the match brought forward." Jericho admitted.

"What?"

"Why?"

"Are you insane?" Came the replies from around the table.

"You just lost to Triple H last night!"

"You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you,"?

"Hold up now people, he may have gotten a win last night thanks to his trash bag ho of a wife. But I am not backing down. In fact tonight's match is going to be a 'Last Man Standing' match."

"Well that's proved it, you are insane." Lita said holding her coffee cup to her mouth. "You do know that as long as Stephanie is at ringside she'll do anything she can to see you lose."

"She's right man," Matt agreed, "Stephanie hates your guts."

"Pfft!" Jericho shrugged off the comment with a wave of his hand. "She's just one of many."

"Are you up to a Last Man Standing match?" Jeff asked concern in his eyes for his friend. "I mean you just had a match last night and then the drinking binge-"

"I'll be fine the match is the main event so I've got a few hours yet to prepare." He said his eyes once again moving to the doorway. "Do you lot know if any of the stage crew come here for breakfast?"

Four sets of eyes trained on him at his totally unexpected question.

"Why?" Jeff asked, "No, no let me guess…" He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his head thoughtfully before replying and getting what he sought, which was as always a few snickers from the others. "Your planning on bribing one of the crew members into planting a dummy under the ring to fool Triple H into pinning it while you line up for the Lion Sault."

"Don't need a dummy for that." Edge piped up earning a slap upside the head from Jericho and chuckles from everyone else.

"Fine deduction there, my dear dimwit." Jericho answered Jeff. "But no, cheating in a match is more Stephanie's style."

A flash of anger shone in his eyes as he thought of the wife of his opponent but he fought it down, now wasn't the time. And he knew all to well that her time would come.

"Actually," He continued, "I was kinda pissed last night after the match and… well… I kind of said a few harsh things to one of the backstage crew members, just wanted to apologise that’s all."

Team Extreme shared a look. In all the time they had known Jericho he had never offered an apology to anyone outside his immediate group, which consisted of well… them, and Christian - Edge's brother.

Lita took pity on him as the brother's started admonishing him like a school teacher would her pupil.

"It’s hard to say, I mean we don't exactly run in the same circles as the crew members." She said.

"Lita’s right you know," Jeff agreed. "We're snobs!"

That comment earned a chuckle from Lita before she focused once again on Jericho.

"Maybe you'll have better luck at the arena tonight." She smiled at him encouragingly, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze before addressing the others at the table. "I think he has a crush,"

Jericho groaned as they all exploded into another fit of giggles earning them curious looks from the other patrons.

**

Part Four

**

Chase entered the arena via the back entrance forgoing on the usual route to the roster board instead heading straight to the supply cupboard to wheel out the trolley and commence with the floors in the catering area before the 'beautiful people' arrived. God was she ever as shallow as some of the people she had seen here?

"Hey,"

She turned her hand going straight to her bag, which was still slung over one shoulder reaching for her stake that she always kept there, her body instinctively falling into a battle stance.

"Whoa there! Didn't mean to scare you,"

Chase looked down at the young man that was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, legs crossed out in front of him, note book and pen lying in his lap. He looked scruffy, dressed in jeans that were a couple sizes too big, a t-shirt and baseball cap on his head and unless her eyes were deceiving her, he had multi-coloured hair sticking out from under it.

"I believe you." Was all she gave back in reply before resuming her task of diluting cleaning solvent in water.

"I'm Jeff… Jeff hardy." He said coming to stand beside her taking the bucket full of water from her hands and placing it back in its position on the trolley.

"Chase." She replied grabbing another bucket and again filling it with water.

"That it? Just Chase?"

She turned the tap off when the bucket she was filling was half full then turned to him having to tilt her head to look up at him not realising how tall he actually was. A good 6ft1, 6ft2 she guessed.

"Yep. Just Chase."

Jeff stared down at the girl with a raised eyebrow, was she being coy on purpose or was she playing some little girl game like most of the girls around here. By the look in her eyes he guessed the former as she brushed by him going through a checklist she had attached to the front of the trolley.

'Yep, definitely the former,' He thought. He may as well not even be in the room for all the attention she was giving him. It was quite refreshing to be in the presence of a woman who didn't know who he was, or maybe she did and just didn't care. His brow creased in a frown at his train of thought. He had come in here to get away from the hustle and bustle that came attached to being a professional wrestler wanting to jot down a poem that had been forming in his head since he left the hotel room. That accomplished he was about to gather his stuff and leave when she had entered.

"Oh, good Chase, here you are."

They both turned at the sound of Jonathan Coachman's rushed cry as he approached the two people. His eyes widened at the sight of one of the Hardy Boys, before sending Chase a glare.

"Jeff!" He smiled grabbing his hand and giving it a vigorous shake, and then he frowned turning his eyes on Chase again. "You’re not supposed to be bothering the wrestlers,"

"She wasn't." Jeff piped up before she had time to respond.

"Oh, well… good," A flush grew up the older man's neck before composing himself once more. "You’re not on cleaning duty tonight." He said directing his attention once again to Chase.

Jeff moved off to gather his stuff wanting to give them privacy, he didn't want Chase to feel embarrassed with him there listening, although he still kept them in his line of sight.

"Didn't you read the roster?" He heard Jonathan continue.

She just shrugged in reply which seemed to irk him more.

"You know, if it were up to me you'd be out on the streets where you came from."

Jeff eyebrows drew together and he was about to come to her defence when she replied.

"Just tell me where I'm supposed to be." She sounded bored as she returned everything to the trolley then dried her hands.

Jeff noticed she didn't look at him once.

"You’re at ring side,"

"What? But-"

"No buts Chase," He seemed pleased at her apparent lack of unease.

Jeff felt his dislike of the man heightening intensely. From what he'd heard about the current Back Stage General Manager you'd think he was related to Vince. He was down right devious and played anyone if it meant his own personal gain up the employment ladder.

"Ring side in 15 minutes, report to Bob." He dismissed her with a wave of his hand as he turned back to Jeff, his plastic smile once again plastered to his face.

"You see around Chase," Jeff called as she made to leave the room. She stopped for a moment but didn't turn around before walking out of the room.

Strange but very pretty girl, he thought not realising Jonathan had been talking to him the whole time.

**

Part Five

**

"Great… ringside in 15 minutes, report to Bob," She muttered to herself making her way down the side gate to the ring. Fans were already crowding in. Chase looked up to the far stands and wondered how they could possibly see anything from all the way back there. She found Bob on his knees hunched over some electrical cable and nodded in greeting as he turned to her and smiled.

"Good, you're here," He rose and offered his hand out to her, which she accepted. He was a portly man probably in his fifties with thinning grey hair and a warm smile, kind of an older version of Giles she thought.

"Tis pretty simple really,” He continued. “All you need to do is sit here at ringside and watch the cables." He pointed to a spot by the announcer's table and then pointed out other various spots where other co-workers would be. Each assigned with there own mass of cables spiralling around and under the ring.

"As you can see it's very important that you keep the cables in place otherwise accidents will happen. The only time a cable can be moved is when one of the cameramen needs to move around their side of the ring. Are you with me so far?"

At Chase's nod he continued.

"Good, rules are 1. You watch the cables not the match. 2. You move if the wrestling is brought outside the ring."

He looked at her for a minute then to Chase's surprise threw an arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture.

"First time at ringside hey?"

"Am I that obvious?" She replied tentatively.

"You'll be okay and either I or Ritchie..." He pointed to a rather buff looking man with a leather cap on his head turned backwards and a black t-shirt with the words 'Security' written in white bold letters across the back. "...will be with you the whole time."

Offering the kind man a smile she gingerly crouched down with him as he begun telling her the in's and outs of the technical side of wrestling. Which as far as he was concerned was what made wrestling so popular.

* *

"I'm in love!" Jeff declared sinking down on a wooden bench inside Team Ex-Treme's locker room.

"Again?" Lita mocked in a surprised tone. She turned to Matt. “Wasn't he declaring his love for Edge and Christian's younger sister only last week?"

"And let’s not forget the receptionist at the hotel." Jeff's brother Matt joined in, the laughter evident in his voice. "Who is it this time?"

Jeff just ignored all their former comments as he went on.

"Chase."

"Excuse me?" Matt needled waggling his eyebrows at Lita.

"Her name is Chase." He replied holding his hand to his fluttering heart and sighing then glared as both Lita and Matt burst into laughter.

"What's going on here?" An amused Chris Jericho asked as he walked in on the laughter.

"Jeff's in love," Lita offered.

Jericho's eyebrows drew together and another burst of laughter erupted from Lita and Matt as he replied.

"Again?"

* *

'God I'm so bored!!! This has to be the suckiest job in the world!' She thought as she crouched down beside the steel barrier that separated the fans from the ring. She had managed to avoid the camera's as best she could tucking her hair up under her cap which was pulled so far down over her face all you could see was her mouth.

In the ring was a guy called boulder or mountain or something in that vicinity that seemed to love people smelling what he cooked and his opponent was a beast of a man dressed from head to toe in red and black and wore a mask.

‘These guys have no fashion sense.’ She thought as she watched red guy pick up boulder guy with one hand and drop him in the middle of the ring.

The match ended soon after when a leggy blonde ran down the ramp yielding a 2 by 4, climbed up on the ring and swung it for all she was worth across the back of the red guy who then won by disqualification.

'Finally,' She thought.

"How many matches to go?" She asked Bob as he scrambled past her on his hands and knee's.

"Four more plus the main event," He replied as he moved on, a long length of cable unwinding behind him.

Chase raised her eyes heavenward.

"Isn't being alone punishment enough?" She muttered to herself.

The lights went off and yet another wrestler’s entrance music blared out around the arena followed by the roar of the crowd.

"Guess not." She sighed watching as the ring announcer made her way to the centre of the ring.

"The challengers… making there way down the ramp… at a combined weight of 546 pounds, Bubba Ray and D-von Dudley… the Dudley Boys!"

The crowd roared there approval as the two men made their way to the ring carrying a fold out table in each of their hands. And Chase thought ‘she’ had seen everything! Their music died down and another began.

"And now their opponents… from Cameron, North Carolina accompanied by Lita… Matt and Jeff Hardy… The Hardy Boys!"

More roars came from the crowd even louder then the first.

'Jeff Hardy?' She thought her eyes going to the ring and sure enough there he was rainbow bright himself. He looked straight at her with a huge grin on his face and then waved, which caused two cameramen to face their cameras at her. Pulling her cap down even more she grumbled to herself as she purposely ignored the rest of there match and the rather chubby faced ring announcer who wanted to know who the little lady crouched at ringside was and if he could see her puppies!

**

Part Six

**

Jericho was beginning to think that the girl he had seen was maybe a figment of his imagination. He couldn't find her anywhere! And he knew he would have to forego his search soon because his match with Triple H was up soon.

He made his way back to the locker room to find Team Extreme returning from their match.

"Did you lose?" He asked when he saw Jeff's down trodden look.

"No we won," Matt assured him brightly when Jeff chose to ignore him.

"Jeff's latest crush was at ringside," Lita added raising her eyebrows as she added in a whisper "...and she ignored him." before following matt into the room.

Jeff just glared at her before reaching up to turn on the monitor. It blared to life showing repeats of the match they had just finished and then focused on the girl crouching at ringside as Jerry Lawler raved on about the new set of puppies.

To there surprise Shane McMahon appeared in front of the camera ordering the cameraman and Lawler to focus on something else and then he did something even more surprising, he crouched down in front of the girl and spoke to her in hushed whispers, the camera showing Lawler trying to listen in. After a nod from the crouching girl Shane stood and walked to the announcer's desk and pulled up a chair.

"Wonder what all that was about?" Matt said as he and Lita shared a look, Jeff just shrugged but Jericho had his mouth wide open as he stared at the monitor.

"Close your mouth Jerky, not a pretty sight." Lita smirked and he promptly closed it before a smile formed on his lips.

"I don't believe it," He declared.

"What?" Came three very confused replies?

"I've been looking for her back stage all night… and she's been down ringside all this time." He laughed outright now.

"You've been looking for Chase?" Jeff asked leaning forward on the bench.

"Chase," He repeated almost dreamily. "So she's not a figment of my imagination."

"Uh oh," Lita said arching her brow at Matt. "I think both these guys got a crush on the same girl."

"I don't think they're the only ones." Matt agreed nodding towards the monitor that showed Shane's gaze directed at the crouching girl too.

* * *

Finally the main event, which she'd been told was the last match. For once Chase couldn't wait to get back to her hotel room and away from the prying eyes making a mental note to tell Jonathan Coachman to shove it the next time he placed her at ringside. She let her eyes meet Shane's across the room and he offered her a smile before the lights went out and the entrance music began.

"Making his way down to the ring, accompanied by his wife Stephanie McMahon Helmsley, weighing in at 272pounds, the Game, Triple H!"

The crowd roared as the two entered the ring Triple H going straight to the turnbuckle to look out at the crowd before doing the same at the opposite turnbuckle, his wife just walked around the inside of the ring and waited for him to join her as more music began.

"His opponent, weighing in at 220 pounds, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Chris Jericho!"

The crowd went insane as the man made his way to the ring walking around it once slapping eager hands that fans held out to him before jumping up on the ring and giving his opponent a cocky grin.

Chase snorted, "First rainbow bright, now Mr Look-at-me-Look-at-me." She grumbled settling back against the barricade. Her eyes on the cables she pulled her cap down lower and waited for the inevitable bell to sound, signalling the beginning of the match.

**

Part Seven

**

Jeff watched the action at ringside on the small monitor in their locker room, not very successfully as his wayward eyes seemed to train in on the crouching figure of the girl outside the ring. He could tell she didn't want to be down there, judging from the way she acted when Jonathan Coachman had told her was proof enough of that. 'Maybe she had stage fright.' He thought.

"Whoa! DDT from Jericho!" "And a ‘Moonsault’!" "Another moon salt!" "Its over!" "There's no way Triple H can get up from that!" "But wait Stephanie's up on the apron!"

He focused again on the match as the voices of Lawler and JR came blaring through the speakers, watching as Jericho set Triple H up for yet another ‘Moonsault’, his body swinging off the ropes to hurl with much force down onto the ribs of Triple H, forcing the air out of him before laying across the other man’s torso for the pin.

Stephanie jumped up on to the ring apron distracting the referee, her arms flailing up and down before snaking around the referee's neck in an attempt to keep the man focused on her. Jericho looked up from where he lay over Triple H waiting for the three count and swore when he saw Stephanie up on the ring apron. Getting to his knees he dispelled a breath before pulling himself to his feet not seeing Triple H starting to stir as well.

"Look behind you Chris," Jeff muttered as Triple H got to his feet. "Chris…"

Charging at Jericho, the other man speared him in the back sending him sprawling outside the ring... and straight into the crouching figure at ringside.

"Oh god!" Jeff shrieked getting to his feet and bolting out the door.

"Jeff?" Matt called hearing his brother's cry and making his way out of the showers still dripping wet, but all he was met with an empty room.

* * *

Chase saw the shadow before she felt the impact of someone crashing down on her, her breath getting sucked out of her as she felt herself being crushed up against the steel barrier. She felt a hand on her waist and another brushing her hair away from her face, she struggled a little in an attempt to breathe only then realising that the weight was still on top of her cutting off her airway.

Opening her eyes she came face to face with a pair of deep blue eyes that were filled with concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I will be when you get off me." She snapped pushing at his chest. Was that amusement she saw in his eyes?

Her expression changed though when she realised the cameras were once again trained on her and in a panic she pulled him back down to shield her from them as she straighten her cap and pulled it down once again covering her face before she allowed him to move.

'Great! Now that chubby announcer is going to have a field day with that.' She thought scowling in his direction.

"Get back to your match!" She hissed shoving Jericho towards the ring. He didn't have time to reply as he was shoved back a second time, this time by Shane.

"Chase! Are you hurt?"

Then frowned even more when he was shoved back a third time, this time by an irate Jeff hardy!

"Chase!"

Cordelia arched her brow at the two men hovering above her 'Over react much!'

"I'm fine guys," She answered waving her hands at them in a shooing motion. "Now get! I got work to do and I can't do it with a camera shoved in my face!" She hissed refusing to look up.

Both men stood but remained within reaching distance should someone else fly at her from out of the ring again.

Jericho watched from afar, she certainly was a mystery. In those few moments when he had looked into her eyes he had seen fire. 'Oh yes, she was a spitfire all right.' He thought. But he had also seen something else... fear maybe?

He knew she wasn't afraid of them. She had just shoved them all away muttering something about crouching in this spot being what she got paid for. The fear was there though, pushed back behind the anger, but it was there and he saw it.

Looking back at her one more time he flashed a smile her way when he found her eyes on him, before returning his attention back to the ring and his match. Too late though, all he saw was the chair coming towards him and the face of Stephanie McMahon Helmsley with her patented smirk and then it went dark.

**

Part Eight

**

"Hey got some gossip for yah all!" Trish Stratus slid into a chair next to her boyfriend Bubba Ray, one half of the tag team the Dudley boys.

"When do you not have gossip?" Jeff smirked immediately wincing and rubbing his shin under the table, raising his eyes to glare at an innocent looking Trish.

"Be nice Jeffie, or I won’t tell you about a certain crew member who hides beneath a baseball cap and has a fear of camera's" She grinned when not only Jeff but Jericho, Matt and Lita leaned forward giving her their full attention.

"So, who wants coffee?" She asked then felt Bubba Ray chuckle beside her as the other three occupants of the table groaned.

"Out with it Blondie," Jericho warned picking up the tomato sauce and aiming it at her crisp white tank top.

"You wouldn't dare!" She cried her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Not only would I dare, but Jeff would help me." He smirked as Jeff aimed the mustard at her.

Trish turned to Bubba Ray for help but he just smiled saying, "Hey I'm all for it." He leaned towards her and whispered "Then I get to lick it off."

She smiled wantonly at him before capturing his lower lip between hers and sucking on it.

"Come on guy’s public place for Pete's sake." Christian admonished taking a seat at their table.

"Like that's going to stop them," Edge added pulling a chair over from a nearby table to join them.

"Hey!" Trish glared at Jeff and Chris as tomato sauce and mustard now dripped down the front of her top. "I was getting there." She pouted dabbing at her top with a serviette.

"Trish," Chris warned preparing to aim the sauce once more.

"Okay, okay. Sheesh patience is certainly not your virtue." Sending him a glare she continued excitedly. "Well," She began. "I was just talking to Torrie, who you know is buddy-buddy with Stephanie. And apparently a certain little crew member who has caught the eye of more then one person at this table came to the WWE after saving Shane from a mugger - In our very own car park!"

She paused dramatically letting the inevitable 'What's', ‘How's and 'Saved?' spew forth before continuing.

"No one knows anything about her, not even Shane…" She paused again and waited till she once again had their attention. "Then Jonathan Coachman adds his two cent's saying she's the 'ice maiden' of backstage."

Jeff snorted at her last comment, whenever Trish had gossip she always had to take the long way around relaying it to her friends.

"She does her work then leaves." She said not deterred by Jeff's interruption. "...Talks to no one unless being spoken to directly. Oh, and get this, turns down all the perks of working in the WWE!" She sat up higher in her chair glancing around her as if she had top secret news for their ears only.

"What perks?" Jeff asked his brow arched.

"Rental car, free tickets and merchandise, posh-y hotel room, I mean who in their right mind would opt for a servant’s room-"

"She sleeps in the servant’s wing whenever we’re on the road?" Edge cut in. "Now that is just not on, I want a servant’s room too!"

"You just want the servant." Christian mocked and Edge promptly poked his tongue out at him.

Trish ignored them as she carried on "When offered a job here, Vince wanted her as a new diva, saying she had all the right characteristics he was looking for."

"The sick perverted-" Chris began but Trish cut him off.

"Settle down, oh knight in shining armour. She turned him down." She lowered her voice a little loving that she had all of them focused on her. "Shane talked her into staying offering her a backstage job instead."

"Makes sense why Shane was out there at the ring when Jerky here fell on her." Matt offered.

"And I would do it again just to feel her body against mine." Chris replied dreamily.

"You do that again and you'll have to answer to me." Jeff glared.

"I saw her first,"

"Yeah, then yelled at her! Great first impression."

Chris's face took on a solemn look as he remembered his first encounter with the delectable Chase. He still needed to apologise to her. For the past three days she had invaded his mind, even in his sleeping state. Her eyes, he couldn't forget the look in her eyes. First anger, then fear, then after the match he had caught her gaze and in it he saw nothing. A void, before it gave way to sadness as she turned and walked away from him.

Jeff looked at him curiously.

"You really like her don't you." It was more of a statement then a question.

"I wouldn't be wasting my time if I didn't." Chris admitted truthfully.

Jeff nodded before turning back to stare down at his coffee.

Lita joined them then, seating herself in Matt's lap.

"What up buttercups!" She smiled at them all before giving Matt a quick kiss. "Or let me guess, Chase talk?"

"Nothing escapes you does it." Matt teased returning her kiss.

"No, but obviously a lot escapes you lot." She laughed nodding towards the reception area where Chase stood in deep conversation with the manager before entering the servant's elevator leading up to the servant's rooms.

"Wow, its true." Trish stated dumb founded.

* *

Flopping down on her bed chase allowed her mind to reflect on the past few hours. Rainbow bright, Jericho, Shane, the camera's, being at ringside was a mistake, a huge massive, out of this world mistake.

What if someone recognised her?

Who was she kidding, no one she knew watched the WWE. Well no one living anyway, she added thinking of Gunn, her once street wise friend.

"It’s never enough for you is it." She said to the ceiling. Without realising it she had curled into herself willing herself to cry, to allow herself some sort of emotional release, but the tears never came. They had stopped the moment she had become Chase. Closing her eyes her body shut down, as she chose not to deal with the thoughts of her mind.

**

Part Nine

**

Sleep eluded Chris that night. Laying a top his bed staring at the ceiling going over in his mind everything that had happened these past few days, specifically everything to do with Chase. She was an enigma. He knew close to nothing about her, both times she had spoken directly to him at ringside were words spoken in anger. But for the life of him he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was in his blood.

Giving up on sleep he decided to take a walk. Pulling on a pair of sweat pants he slipped his feet into his runners and grabbing his jacket he headed for the door, carefully closing it so as not to wake Jeff.

As the elevator doors closed he settled back and wondered where he could go this late at night.

"No make that early morning." He sighed looking at his watch.

Turning to the panel inside the elevator he lifted his hand to press the button for the ground floor when he spotted it, ‘Rooftop’, closing his eyes he waited for the inevitable ding and grate of the doors sliding across the floor to signal his arrival. Moving through the open doors he took a deep breath of the chilled breeze that surrounded him and that's when he saw her.

* * *

She didn't know when he appeared behind her, she only knew he had. Didn't flinch when he draped his jacket over her shoulders not knowing she shivered from his presence more then the cold. No words were spoken and no looks were shared as the first rays of the sun sparked up on the horizon.

* * *

Chris returned to his room not long after even more confused about Chase then when he had started out. After sharing what was the most magnificent sunrise he had ever experienced she had shrugged out of his jacket handing it back to him before leaning over to whisper a quiet 'Thankyou' in his ear before rising to her feet, leaving him to watch as she walked away.

"Well, the prodigal son returns," Jeff smirked as he made his way out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, hair still wet from his shower. "Is they're anything I should know?" He waggled his eyebrows teasingly before searching through his bag for some clothes.

"Just went for some air." Chris replied flopping down on his bed and closing his eyes suddenly realising his lack of sleep the night before.

Jeff looked over at his friend concern etching his brow. "You okay man?"

A smile graced Jericho's features as he raised tired eyes to his younger comrade.

"Yes. For once I really think I am." And with that he gave way to sleep letting thoughts of sunrises and the scent of cinnamon fill his thoughts.

* * *

Walking through the hallways of the arena Chase wrinkled her nose as she pushed a trolley loaded with soiled towels from the numerous locker rooms. At least I'm not down at ringside she thought knocking on a door before going in to collect yet more soiled towels.

Rounding yet another corner she came to the laundry chute and started emptying the trolley, looking up at a clock on the wall she new it was nearing closing and so far she had managed to avoid contact not only with the wrestlers, but also the back stage camera's as well, which were ever present as she found out when footage was played earlier this evening of her first meeting with Jeff Hardy.

Lawler had managed to turn an innocent meeting into a sordid love affair in a matter of moments and by the roar of the crowd she knew why he was so good at what he did. The crowd loved it!

"Cordelia?"

Chase stiffened at the mention of that name her eyes shifting in the direction from which it hailed to fall on a timidly looking female an expression of wide eyed shock in her eyes.

"Willow?"

**

Part Ten

**

Lita, Trish and Torrie were greeted with wolf whistles and catcalls as they stepped off the elevator grinning up at the group of men awaiting them. Matt's arm immediately snaked around Lita pulling her back against him.

"Mmm…" He growled. "You sure you don't want to fore go this celebration and have a quiet night… up… in… our… room?" He asked planting little kisses on her bare shoulder with each word.

"That's enough out of you two, tonight we party!" Jeff said grabbing Lita out of his brother's arms and twirling her around.

"Where are we going anyway?" Trish asked snuggling into Bubba Ray's chest.

"Some bar down the valley, Chris and I found it last time we were here. They have a great band."

"You mean we're slumming it?" Torrie shrieked.

"Don't worry beautiful," Egde replied pulling her closer to his side. "I'll protect you."

"Where is Jericho by the way?" Lita asked running one of her hands down her jeans. "Ah... speak of the devil."

They all turned to see Jericho walking towards them.

"You forget which floor you’re on?" Matt asked nodding towards the service elevator Jericho had just exited from.

"No, I went to invite Chase." He replied expelling a long breath.

"I guess since your alone… she turned you down?" Trish asked with one quirky eyebrow raised.

"No," Chris replied nonplussed. "She just wasn't there. Manager said she had left already."

Chris hadn't seen her since their time on the roof and frankly he was practically dying at the thought of maybe she was avoiding him. And doing a good job of it too! He was beginning to think that maybe she didn't like him or something but quickly squashed that thought… what's not to like about him? He was very likeable, wasn’t he?'

"Shall we go?" He motioned to the others to follow him out as they made their way to the waiting limo.

**

Part Eleven

**

"So, how have you been?" Willow asked offering a small smile to the girl sitting next to her.

"Can't you tell?" Chase smirked as she took a sip of her drink.

Not wanting to cause a scene at the arena or heaven forbid having their conversation caught on camera, Chase had suggested they meet at the end of the night. Walking the short distance to the hotel they had both gone up to their rooms to change and planned to just find a discreet bar somewhere to share there stories.

They had ended up at some bar which consisted of a stage where a band was setting up for the night, a dance floor surrounded by tables all laid out in a semi circle with two pathways leading towards the bar on either end.

"Well, to be honest I never expected to see you in the WWE." Willow admitted. "Especially doing… you know… what you were doing."

"Doing other people's laundry? Scrubbing toilet's and shower cubicle's?" Chase finished for her.

"Well… yeah… not that there's anything wrong with it and I'm not being a snob and all it’s just-"

"It's okay Willow… I never thought I'd be here either." She offered the other girl a smile. "What about you? How'd you get to be in the WWE?"

"Long and very not Willow-y story," Willow replied lowering her eyes before the other girl could see the tears that sprung up.

The look in the other girl’s eyes broke through the hard façade that Chase had put up around her heart. Her eyes mirrored with the same pain Chase had been holding inside for so long.

"Willow, you can tell me." Chase whispered the concern evident in her tone.

"Ikindofhurtsomeone."

She couldn’t help but smile at Willow being well... Willow and said.

"A little slower please."

"I kind of hurt someone." Willow repeated meekly.

Chase laughed at that causing Willow to get up defensively.

"I don't think it’s funny!"

"Sorry Will's, really I am. But only you would think the act of hurting someone would bring doom and destruction. It doesn't honey." She said softly pulling Willow back into her chair. "Hurt is a part of life."

"You don't understand I hurt him so bad… he… he died."

"Oh." Chase replied then cocked her head to the side. "It wasn't Xander was it?"

Willow let out an explicit laugh.

"No Cordy, it wasn't Xander. His name was Warren and he killed Tara. I went psycho bad ass witch for a couple days… and I became what we had tried to protect the world from." She shrugged then her eyes became unreadable as she got lost in her memories. "Buffy came after me."

Willow felt the tears slip down her cheek. Cordelia reached out to give her hand a squeeze in understanding and by the look in Willow's eye's Chase knew the other girl was thankful that she remained silent.

"So what about you, what are you running from?"

Chase swallowed her drink in one gulp, ordered another and swallowed that one too before she turned to the other girl.

"Angel fired me."

"What!"

"Not only me. Gunn and Wes as well,"

"He's not...” Willow began. “You know…"

"All grrrr." At willow's nod Chase continued. "I don't know. I like to think not. But the dead version of dumb and dumber showed up and played with his mind a bit. After that it seemed nothing we did was any good until eventually he got us all together and fired us."

Chase hadn't realised the tears that flowed down her cheeks as she confided in the red head. It had been so long since she had cried.

"Oh Cordelia," Willow leaned forward embracing the other girl as she wept quietly.

Pulling away Chase wiped at her eyes, "That's not all, after… Wes, Gunn and I tried handling it on our own… I was still receiving the visions you see... and Wes and Gunn went out to patrol after I had… after a..." She broke off then and when Willow looked into her eyes she knew Cordelia was living that moment again.

"They never came back Willow." She whispered laying her head in her hands. "I killed them."

"Shhh… Cordelia… you didn't kill them… they knew the risks-"

"I sent them there after having a vision! They were my friends… and I killed them." She looked up at Willow then seeing the other girl's tears through hers. "Can you forgive me?"

"It seems we both need forgiveness," She smiled, "...If not from our past, then from each other."

The former may queen and the computer geek embraced with promises of always being there for each other no matter what.

**

Part Twelve

**

"Are you sure about this place?" Torrie asked as the limo pulled up outside of a two-story building.

"Maybe that should be, are we even going to get in?" Lita said pointing to the row of people that stretched out to the end of the street. Jericho just smiled at her as he approached the bouncer standing at the door.

"Hey man," He said hugging the man in greeting.

"Hmmm… looks like Jericho is a regular." Trish mused as Jericho motioned at them all to follow him in.

Inside the place was packed, the girls held on to each other for fear of being separated in the throng of people moving about.

"This place is a madhouse!" Lita shouted so as to be heard over the music.

"Don't worry its less chaotic upstairs which is where we are going." Jeff replied moving Lita between him and his brother.

True to his word the second floor was less crowded, pretty much the same layout as down stair's with the exception of the band being viewed via a big screen.

Settling the girls at a table the guys headed off towards the bar.

"I'm still not sure about this place," Torrie moaned wiping a finger over the table searching for dust.

"Tor, just live a little please. This is supposed to be a celebration of the boy's win tonight."

"Yeah girlfriend, we'll drink a little, smile a little… then boogie till we drop!" Trish piped up flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Speaking of boogying," Bubba Ray said placing drinks on the table and raising his eyebrows at Trish.

"Lead the way big guy," She winked as he pulled her towards the dance floor.

* * *

Jeff and Jericho stood with their backs to the bar, a row of 10 shooters lined up behind them.

"You ready for this?" Jericho asked taking a few deep breaths.

"Bring it on." Jeff replied banging his hands on his chest.

"On your marks, get set, go!"

One by one Chris and Jeff downed the shooters as fast as they could both expelling a manly growl at the end then to the merriment of the other onlookers bumped chest's together like that of two strutting ape's vying for the same female.

"I came to a decision today." Jeff said as he sobered up.

"Yeah, do tell." Jericho replied ordering them two beers as the bar man passed.

"I'm backing down."

"Huh?"

"Chase, I know you really dig her." Jeff said taking a swallow of his beer.

"Thanks," Chris smiled back, "Even though we both know she would have chosen me anyway." He added laughing openly at his friend.

"I could always change my mind, just to spite you." Jeff countered laughing as Chris sent him a glare.

"I wonder where she is..." Chris said more to himself then anyone else.

"Oh, I think she's closer then you actually think." Jeff smirked pointing across the room then leaned down to his friend and whispered. "She's here."

**

Part Thirteen

**

Author's Note: Song used in this part is "Woke Up This Morning" by Nickleback.

**

"Isn't that redhead the one from-?"

"WCW?" Jeff replied arching his brow at his friend momentarily before focusing again on the redhead. "Flair Jr's little psychopath turned announcer turned Flair Sr's little assistant, who he brought over with him to the WWE and is now nicely tucked away sitting behind a cushy office in a cushy chair so high up in upper management that even Stephanie needs to make an appointment to see her? The very one."

Jeff glanced at his friend to find him staring right back at him with wide-eyed astonishment. He could practically see the wheels turning inside the other man's head, the way the left side of his mouth quirked up and his left eyebrow came down almost as if the two were trying to touch. 'Yep, he had thinking face.'

"What?"

"Nothing." Chris replied pretending to focus once again on the dancing girls. "Just…"

"Just?"

"Just you seem to know an awful lot about that girl." The words all but spilled from Chris's mouth.

Jeff laughed bringing his glass to his lips before using it to direct Chris's attention to the group of ladies they had came with.

"You would too, if you hung out at the diva's locker room as much as I do. And you have to admit, she's a subject worthy of any man's listening skills."

"Well then if you could find that much information on the tiny redhead why was it you knew nothing about Chase?"

"Because ole buddy ole pal… the redhead was already in the game where as Chase was little-miss-hide-and-conceal-from-anyone-and-anybody." Jeff draped his free hand over Chris's shoulder. "And the fact that she was good at it was a definite plus on her part."

"Hmm… I see your logic," Chris smiled clinking the side of his glass to Jeff's. "...For once."

**

Chase and Willow were trading stories and laughing and crying and drinking, Chase couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much, although she had a lot to make up for considering the amount of laughing she had done of late, which consisted of practically... none.

"What is it that you do in the WWE, Will's?" Chase asked realizing that Willow had never mentioned exactly what her position was.

"I'm in management, my uncle is an owner." Willow said as if that explained everything.

"Your uncle is Vince?"

"No, Ric Flair."

"Oh," Chase replied a thoughtful expression on her face. She smiled when she saw Willow looking at her not wanting her friend to see she didn't have a clue who she was talking about.

Losing her baseball cap only moments before she now ran her hands through her hair. She was in the middle of telling Willow about the time she got impregnated with demon spawn when a blaring of noise came over the speakers.

"Oh my god!" She shrieked over the noise. "We have to dance!" She cried pulling Willow up and dragging her to the dance floor.

"Can you actually dance to this?" Willow shouted as the sounds of hard rock blared all around them.

"It's Nickleback! Of course you can dance to it!" Cordelia cried as she began to jump, twirl and spin to the fast paced music.

**

"Wow, look at her go!" Jeff said dreamily then turned to find himself alone, Chris already making his way over to the two girls.

**

~Now I know why I hide my love from you some days~

~No I don't mind keeping this bottled inside me~

~You came along and tore this wall down around me~

~Looks like you've found me, now I know why~

~I felt like shit when I woke up this morning~

"You even know the words!" Willow exclaimed as Chase sang along with the band.

"Yeah well, for the last year or so music has taken the place of where a best friend should be." Chase replied with a shrug.

"I need ‘agua’ I'll be back at the table!" Willow shouted and at Cordelia's nod she made her way back to their table.

Closing her eyes Chase gave her self up to the music and concentrated on the movement's her body was making. Stopping when she felt something brush her cheek, a little smile turning the corners of her mouth upwards, she opened her eyes... and there he was.

She didn't object as he took her in his arms and brought her body closer to his. She breathed in the scent of him feeling his heartbeat thumping away beneath her hand. His eyes held hers as he moved with her hip-to-hip, thigh-to-thigh and when the song ended he leaned in and brushed his lips lightly against hers before she pulled out of his arms and made to move away.

"Uh-uh," She heard him whisper behind her, his mouth so close to her ear she could feel his breath on her neck. "Not this time Chase." And then his arms encircled her pulling her back against him.

"I... I need to get back to my friend." She stammered.

"You have nothing to fear from me little one."

"I'm sorry I can't offer the same to you." She said once again moving out of his arms. "Forget this... whatever it is." She waved her hand between them. "Nothing can come of it."

"Something already has." He whispered as she disappeared through the crowd.

* * *

Chase returned to the table to find Willow chatting away to Jeff Hardy, she sent a quick smile to him before facing her friend.

"We have to leave."

"Ah... ok..." Willow threw Jeff an apologetic smile before following Chase towards the exit.

Chris came to stand beside a grinning Jeff, eyes focused on the two girls weaving there way through the crowd towards the exit.

"What are you grinning about?"

Jeff looked back at his friend and winked.

"I'm in love."

Chris groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Come on Casanova, let's go make sure the girls get back to the hotel okay."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Jeff grinned again chuckling to him as he followed his friend through the crowd towards the main doors.

**

Part Fourteen

**

The girls were so focused on their conversation that they didn't notice the guys followed slowly behind them.

"Okay, care to enlighten me as to what all that was about?" Willow asked once they were outside in the cool night air making their way towards the hotel.

"I'm sorry willow," Chase replied. "I didn't mean to be rude back there-"

"No, you just let the old Cordelia reign for a bit." Willow snapped instantly regretting the words once they were out and she mentally admonished herself when she saw Chase's shoulders slump and her crest fallen expression.

"Oh Chase, I'm sorry. I-"

"No. You’re right." The other girl cut in. "Guess no matter how hard I try to get away from it, my past is always there."

Behind them the two men shared a look, the younger one shrugging.

"Is getting away from your past such a major thing? Cause you know that old saying about your past always catching up with you."

"That's why I joined the WWE. It’s an ever moving world. I'm never in the same place longer then four days."

"But what about the camera, someone could see you. I know for a fact that Spike is a religious wrestling fan and watches every show."

"I always make sure I'm backstage not out front, only once I had to be down ringside and that didn't turn out to good, but I think I was cut a lucky break. Cause as you can see I'm still here," She waved her hands in front of herself. "No slayer or ex best friend after my ass." The latter was said quietly and Willow didn't miss the tear that Chase hurriedly tried to wipe away.

"I can understand you not wanting to draw attention to yourself but Chase, that doesn't mean you can't have any friends, outside of me."

"It’s just too hard Willow." She replied as Willow wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders.

"I know, its like that song tonight ~No I don't mind keeping this bottled inside me~ she sang smiling a little when Cordelia raised her eyebrow in a way only Cordelia can and sang the next line. ~You came along and tore these walls down around me~

"All you need is your knight in shining armour to come break down those walls."

Chris's jaw dropped when Willow turned around and winked at him. He turned to Jeff who also wore a similar shocked expression. Chris smiled hope filling him, the redhead had known they were there the whole time and had instigated their conversation in Chris's favour.

"You better hurry and snap up that redhead," He said grinning to Jeff. "Cause I got a feeling she is one hell of a good thing."

**

Part Fifteen

**

Sunnydale

"Where are the guys?" Anya asked standing on tiptoes to see behind Buffy and Dawn.

"Afraid it's only us tonight, Spike wanted to watch some show on telly." Buffy shrugged and went back to perusing a shelf lined up with videos.

"Yeah, he's been complaining all day about us making him miss Passions." Dawn added picking a video up and reading the back of its cover.

"So we get to choose the videos?" Anya asked brightening at that thought. "Who is in the mood for a bit of Hugh grant?"

Both Buffy and Dawn looked at her and grinned.

"George Clooney for me please,"

"Brad Pitt here I come." Dawn added as the three of them high fived each other.

**

The girl's entered the Summers home each laden with enough videos and snack's to last them all weekend storing the bags in the kitchen before making their way to the lounge. Coming to a stop when they saw the looks on both Xander's and spike's face.

"What is it?" Buffy asked instantly going into slayer mode.

Anya moved up to Xander wrapping an arm around his shoulder a concerned look on her face when she noticed he had been crying. "Xander?"

He motioned to Spike and Spike nodded picking up the remote and pressing the play button.

All eyes turned to the television screen to see two cute blonde guys being interviewed by a rather petite blonde woman.

"Okay, cute blonde men talking to a blonde woman who is having a bad hair day, so?"

"Look passed the muscles, pet." Spike said planting his feet up on the coffee table only to have Buffy swipe them off again.

Dawn sank to her knees as she saw what played out on the television.

"Oh my..."

"Willow." Buffy whispered hopping off her perch on the chair arm to crouch down closer in front of the television screen.

Behind the men just to the left of the screen stood Willow chatting away to a guy with purple hair both oblivious to the fact that they were in the shot. They saw Willow lean up and whisper conspiratorially in his ear, a grin formed on his features.

"That can’t be Willow… our Willow would never work at a place like that." Buffy reasoned.

"It's her Buff, and if you think about it, it's the perfect place for her to work." Xander confirmed running a hand through his hair as he stared at his childhood friend on screen. "Anonymity? Hello." He said sarcastically bringing his hands up in front of him.

"Keep watching, there's more." Spike said bending to see if Dawn was okay before coming to crouch beside Buffy.

As the tape continued to play out Buffy saw a familiar brunette. "That can’t be... Cordelia?"

Her hair was shorter and her face free of make up, but there crouched down in a corner a few feet from where Willow stood talking to that purple-haired guy sat Cordelia Chase. She seemed to be busy with some cables or something but like the first two she was oblivious to her person being in the shot.

"We've called Peaches, he's on his way."

Dawn got up and moved towards Buffy. "You’re not going to try and hurt Willow are you?" She whispered. "I mean after…"

"No Dawn, Giles said the coven in England showed Willow how to harness her power's and that they had released her. They wouldn't have done that if she were still evil." She explained hugging her sister. "We all had thought she would come back to Sunnydale, even Giles... but she didn't."

**

Two hours later there was a knock at the door before Angel burst in lines of worry and tiredness etched onto his brow, Wesley and Gunn following in his wake.

"What do you know?" He said as he faced the group of startled Scoobies.

"Hello to you too Peaches." Spike smirked rising up from his sitting position beside Buffy. "Be better if you just saw for yourself." He added putting the tape back in the video and pressing play.

The look on the new arrival's faces were priceless, their eyes the size of saucer's after they saw the contents of the tape.

"Cordy…" Angel whispered sitting down his knees no longer able to hold his weight. "She's alive."

Buffy straightened as she saw the depth of feeling in Angel's words. She still couldn't fathom how much Angel cared for Cordelia. Yeah, he always said they were just best friends but anyone could tell it went far deeper.

Wesley had leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed as he took in the sight of his beautiful friend who had been missing for over a year. He thought back to that time one year ago when he and Gunn had gone out to slay a hoard of demons that were feasting on homeless people down town and upon their return found their office torn to shreds, with blood splattered over everything and no sign of Cordelia. They had searched for weeks and Angel having come to his senses after his little beige period had sought them out looking to rekindle their friendship only to find his best friend gone. Blaming himself for deserting her he refused to give up and had even enlisted the help of Lindsey MacDonald, ex lawyer boy for Wolfram and Hart. But after another two month's of searching they still came up empty. And now... there she was.

Gunn was just as speechless, the young man hiding his face as he wiped his own tears of joy from his face.

"What do you plan to do?" Buffy asked rising to stand before Angel.

"Go get her." He replied simply. "You?"

"So ahead of you," She smiled looking back at Xander who nodded and got up off the couch to stand beside her.

"Spike?"

"I'm in," He stated. "Let’s go bring Red and the Cheerleader home."

**

Part Sixteen

**

Chase was lying on her back behind a counter in one of the huge kitchen's, she had her jacket bunched up under her head as a pillow and her eyes were closed, ear phone's clasped over her ears as her head bounced from side to side in tune with the music. That was the good thing about working in a place as big as this you could always find a quiet corner to hide away in.

Jonathan had rostered her at ringside but there was no way she was going out there again so instead she just grabbed her disc man, shrugged and went in search of some place where she wouldn't be disturbed. I mean what was he going to do... walk her down to ringside at gunpoint?

Her face crinkled when she felt a tickle on her nose incessantly swatting her hand in front of her face, but the tickling persisted. Opening her eyes the first thing she saw was a pair of blue eyes staring right back at her no more then a hand space away.

Arching her brow she pushed herself up into a sitting position forcing him to back up.

"Personal bubble much." She mumbled and his eyes creased in amusement.

"I did try verbally to get your attention, but obviously it was a no go," He smiled. "...So I had to rely on my imagination to see where that would get me." He held up a feather waggling his brows.

'Now where on earth would he get a feather in a kitchen?' Choosing to ignore him she pulled the earphones off her head and began putting them away in her bag, her back to him.

Chris hesitated not sure how to approach her, he didn't want to scare her but he also didn't want her to run off which she was prone to do.

"Don't you ever give up?" She said getting to her feet and facing him.

Stunned by her words Chris could only stare at her. She looked back at him then an amused smirk on her face.

"Speechless? I didn't think that was one of your virtues."

A chuckle escaped him then.

"How do you do it?"

She arched her brow.

"Do what?"

"Make me want you."

She rolled her eyes as she bent to retrieve her bag.

"I got a somewhere to be."

"Wait." He moved to stand in front of her. "Just hear me out... please."

"Fine,"

He smiled. "You know, I never meant to sound so arrogant before..."

"Don't worry about it, it's forgotten." She shrugged back.

His expression grew serious.

"I'm not a bad person, Chase, and I think the reason why you keep pushing me away is because you don't want to admit it."

"I'm not in the market for a friend."

"I don't want to just be your friend, Chase." He kept his gaze on her face as he continued to talk. "I don't know what it is about you. The more you try to ignore me, the more I want to be in your presence. You're not like other women. And I think you’re scared-"

"Pffft!"

"Not of me." He continued ignoring the roll of her eyes. "But of us, and you want to know why your scared?"

"Enlighten me please."

"Because you want to be with me too,"

**

Part Seventeen

**

"What's on your mind?"

Chase looked up from where she was sitting on a table outside Ric Flair’s office waiting for Willow.

"Nothing, you suggested we meet up here after the main event, so technically that should be my question to you."

"Great logic there Cor," She laughed.

"You know it’s true." She smiled when the redhead poked her tongue out at her. "So what's the go?"

"We are going out." Willow smiled expectantly up at the taller brunette.

"Out?"

"Yes. And if you even try and back out I will never ever talk to you again." Willow added turning her resolve face on.

"Willow-"

"Ah!" The redhead cut in. "Don't even try!"

"But-"

"I mean it." She warned.

"Just-"

"Ah, ah, ah, ah!"

"Okay fine," Chase exclaimed arching her brow, "Gee, when did you become little-miss-bossy-boots."

"When Jeff asked me out." She smiled sweetly.

"And you're just telling me now." She exclaimed again slapping Willow playfully on the arm.

"Yep, couldn't give you any time to think up an excuse not to come now could I." She winked linking her arm through her friends as they walked towards the exit.

**

"Hey you came!" Jeff greeted as he opened the door to their hotel room and saw Willow and Chase standing on the other side. "Come on in." He smiled down at them his eyes never leaving Willow's. Chase looked at her friend who had a slight blush to her cheeks and the cutest smile. She didn't think she had ever seen Willow look so happy.

"You guy's want a beer?"

"Yeah sure," Chase shrugged.

"Hey people," Willow gave a little wave to Matt, Lita and Edge as they stood trying to decide which music to play.

"You can’t beat Rob Zombie." She could hear Edge saying as she sent Willow a look nodding towards the open door of the balcony, mouthing the words 'fresh air' before she stepped out into the cool evening air.

'Wow.' She thought looking out at the view. "...The life style of the rich and bulgy."

Sitting down in a deck chair she leaned back and let her eyes wonder up to the stars before closing them and letting her senses take over.

"Ah… hem…"

Bolting up she nearly fell out off the chair she was sitting on as two arms came out catching her around her upper arms hindering her fall.

"Sorry I didn't mean to..." Chris looked down at her as she waved him off. "Willow said you were out here."

"Well, as you can see Willow doesn't lie." She spread her hands out in front of her. "Cause here I am."

He smiled then.

"Yes, here you are."

She shot him a small smile and his eyes brightened more.

"I like the night, sorry if I'm being a party pooper."

"Your not, I'd rather be out here with you." He blushed then adding, "That was corny wasn't it."

"Just a tad," She smiled back at him.

"You should do that more, I like it a lot."

"What, practically fall out of my chair?"

"No. Smile,"

"Oh."

She looked at him, confusion on her face. As a slight blush tinted her cheeks, did she and Jericho just have a moment? It was one of those moments that only go for a few seconds but seem to play out in slow motion.

Tilting her head up, he lowered his mouth to hers and placed the softest kiss on her lips.

**

Part Eighteen

**

"Someone's in a good mood," Willow teased later as Chase came out of the bathroom humming happily.

Chase blushed, she actually was happy. She never thought she would feel this jittery I-got-a-crush feeling again.

"I'm glad," Willow continued as Chase raised her eyes to meet her gaze. "You deserve to be happy Cordy, we both do."

"I'm beginning to think your right, it’s just-"

"The past?" Willow cut in.

"Yeah," Chase sighed sinking down on the bed.

Willow looked at her friend a deep sigh escaping her lips.

"Are you in love with him?"

"With Jericho? No! I hardy know-"

"Not with Jericho," Willow said coming to sit by chase on the bed. "...With Angel."

Chase bowed her head turning her gaze away from the red head.

"I was, back then... after everything... I just don't know anymore."

"We'll be in LA in a couple days maybe you should go see him-"

"NO!" Chase shrieked getting up from the bed to pace the floor space in front of Willow.

"You need closure Cordy." The red head said softly. "I've seen the way Chris look's at you, he adores you. You deserve to see what may come of this. Don't you think you've punished yourself enough?"

Chase stopped pacing then and caught her friend's gaze.

"My head tells me no."

"And what does your heart tell you?"

Chase just sighed in reply.

"I'll come with you if you like," Willow suggested, "Its time to stop hiding, stop running. We've been given a second chance here in the WWE, I say we take it."

Reaching out to grab her friend's hand Willow gave it a squeeze before getting to her feet. "So, what do say? When the WWE is in LA you and I go and say goodbye to our past... once and for all."

Willow didn't know how long they stood there or even if the nod Chase gave her was a sign of her agreement. What caught Willow's eye was the smile that took over her face, for the first time since Willow had joined the WWE Chase's smile showed in her eyes and lit up the room.

**

Part Nineteen

**

Chase was down on her hand's and knee's scrubbing at yet another shower base, her forth that night, once again ignoring all Jonathan's attempt's to get her out at ringside. They were in LA and after the show Willow and Chase had planned to meet up and go grace the Hyperion with an unexpected visit. Wether they'd be welcomed or not, Cordelia knew this was something she had to do if she wanted to move on with Chris. He had been wonderful giving her all the space she needed while still wooing her. She had smiled at his usage of the word 'wooing', it was so old fashioned, but surprisingly she was finding it to be her most favourite word.

She was still down on her hand's and knee's when she realised she wasn't alone. Straining her neck to look behind over her shoulder her gaze was met with that of Chris Jericho's.

He was comfortably leaned up against the doorjamb as if he had been there for a while, a cheeky smile on his face.

"Enjoying the view?" She arched her brow up at him.

"Oh, very much so," He smiled back at her.

Rolling her eyes she got to her feet trying to hide the playful grin that was forming while placing the bucket back on the trolley. He in turn raised his own brows as he walked the rest of the way into the room pulling the door closed behind him. She smiled a lot now, he mused. Everybody had noticed. He looked at her for a minute before clearing his throat.

"Um, I was thinking of getting a bite to eat after the final tapings." He began.

"No... really? Wonders will never cease." Her eyes widened in shock but the smile was there in her eyes and he found himself smiling with her as he took in her smile. Beautiful.

"I thought maybe we could get something to eat... you know... together... if you want to that is." He continued nervously.

He watched mesmerized as she chewed her bottom lip. "I would, except... Willow and I kind of got this thing..." Her voice trailed off and she got this far away look in her eyes. For a minute Chris thought maybe she had reverted back into her shell and that scared him.

"Are you okay?" He asked reaching out to tilt her chin up towards him.

"Ah... I got to go..." She mumbled pushing passed him wrenching the door open to find Willow on the other side her friends face the mirror image of her own.

"Do you feel it?" The red head asked taking Cordelia's hand.

"Yes. And they're close." Cordelia replied. None of the girls paid any attention to Chris or Team Extreme for that matter who had come running down the hallway after Willow had bolted from their locker room.

Jeff tried to pull Willow to him but she refused to let go of Chase's hand and from what they could see Chase was just as adamant about keeping hold of Willow's. It was like they were holding on to a lifeline.

"They're here." Willow whispered no one noticing that her eyes had turned black.

All the other's could do was follow the two girls as they walked down the darkened hallway and out to the car park.

**

Part Twenty

**

They weren't in the car park long before three figures emerged from the shadows. The smaller of the figure's, a female raced up to Willow wrapping her arms around her, the second figure, a male followed suit and wrapped his arms around both of the girls. The third figure, another male stood off to the side and Chris saw Chase tap her foot on the pavement in unease.

'Who were these people?'

Both he and Jeff made to move forward toward the girl's but Matt grabbed hold of both their arms.

"Just give them a bit of privacy before you both go in their all gung-ho." He reasoned before pulling both men back.

They continued to watch as the third figure slowly inched his way towards Chase, stopping a few feet in front of her, his hands jammed in his pockets.

"Cordy-"

"What are you doing here?" Whatever Angel expected to hear that wasn't it.

His heart sank.

From what the others could see both girls looked as if their whole world had come crashing down around them. Willow's back was as straight as a rod her arms stiff, fist's clenched as she held them at her side. Chris saw Chase back away as the third figure tried to approach her, before she sank to her knee's sobbing.

Willow, Chris and the third figure all moved towards her at the same time. The third figure getting to her first and now cradled her shaking form against his chest. Chris could hear the soothing word's being said to calm 'his' Chase. It should be him holding her not this... stranger! He knelt down to take Chase from the man only to have Willow pull him back as the man growled.

Chris looked up into Willow's eyes and she gave him a sad smile before motioning him to follow her. The second man and the blonde were still hanging around Willow and she brought the whole group together allowing Cordelia and Angel some privacy while she made the introductions.

"Guy's," She said looking towards Team Extreme. "This is Xander and Buffy, they are from my home town."

She felt Jeff's eyes boring into her before they once again moved to Xander. She offered him a small smile before she continued.

"Xander, Buffy... this is Matt, Lita, Chris and this is Jeff." She said slipping her hand through his. "...My boyfriend."

Jeff watched as two set's of eyes went wide with astonishment, then watched as Willow raised a hand at the other man, Xander, when he began to protest.

'Who exactly were these people?'

"And him?" Chris asked looking over to the man who still held 'his' Chase in his arms.

"That's Angel," Willow whispered moving forward to give his arm a squeeze. "They just need a little time together-"

"Boyfriend?"

"Hardly!" The petite blonde piped up before averting her gaze as Willow sent her a glare.

"No, not boyfriend," She said turning back to Chris. "But they do have a past."

"Ah... why don't we all go back to the hotel?" Lita suggested looking at Willow and she smiled at her nodding in reply while she mouthed the words 'Thank you' to the other redhead. Matt and Lita leading the way to their car's while Willow, Jeff and Chris went to see about Angel and Chase.

"Chase?" Willow whispered as she knelt down beside them, ignoring Angel's surprise at her usage of Cordelia's last name. "We're all heading back to the hotel..."

Chase looked up through tear-stained eyes and nodded her head holding her hand out to her friend and allowing Willow to pull her to her feet. Angel followed keeping his arm around Chase not caring about the glares he was receiving from the other man with them.

**

Part Twenty-One

**

"Yes, she's here Wes." Angel spoke into his mobile phone. "No I don't think now's a good time."

He cringed pulling the receiver away from his ear for a moment and rolling his eyes at Buffy, an expression she was shocked to see from her former no nonsense boyfriend.

"Okay, okay. Just let me get the address." He spoke into the phone again before looking towards the other people in the room with a raised brow.

"Ah... Holiday Inn on Spencer." Lita offered when no one else seemed to want to respond. Chris all out refused to acknowledge the other man's presence except for the odd glare now and then and the Hardy's seemed to pick up on their friend's obvious dislike of the man, therefore mirroring Chris's actions. "Men!" Lita grumbled flopping down on one of the chairs in the room.

"Wes and Gunn are on their way." Angel said not looking up as he put his phone away.

"You think that's a good idea?" Xander spoke up for the first time since entering the room. His obvious dislike of the other man showing through his body language and speech, "I mean she wasn't exactly thrilled to see you dead boy, what makes you think she'd want to see them?"

"Because we're a family!" Angel ground out taking a step towards the other man, then halting as Buffy stepped between them. He glared at Xander and then glared at Buffy before moving towards the window to stare out at the night sky.

"We're family." He silently whispered.

**

Chris was silently losing it. He didn't know how he continued to keep his composure together as it was. He had so many questions running around in his head that he didn't know what to think anymore. 'Who were these people? What were they to Chase and Willow? And why had they all of a sudden showed up? Why now? And why were they calling her Cordy?'

Willow had said before that Chase and this guy, Angel, shared a past. And from watching him thus far it seemed this guy really cared for Chase. He growled inwardly at the other man and was surprised when the guy, Angel, sent him a glare. 'Surely he hadn't heard that and even if he did, well bad luck! I am not giving Chase up.' Chris thought to himself sending Angel a glare of his own.

All he wanted to do was grab Chase and run. He knew it sounded silly now but twenty minute's before he was seriously considering it!

Glancing at the Hardy's he saw their own question's mirrored in their expression's as Jeff sent him a knowing look before glancing up and raising his eyebrow in Angel's direction.

Chris just shrugged as he glared at the man across the room from him and silently willed him to drop dead.

**

Upon entering the hotel room, Chase had immediately disentangled herself from Angel and made her way to the bathroom, entering it and quietly closing the door behind her. She needed time alone, all day she had been preparing herself to go see Angel tonight, and she had been ready to face him. What she hadn't been prepared for was him coming to her and blowing all her reserve and control all to hell - Just like he had done a year ago.

"Who is it?" She answered the light tapping against the door.

"Just me Chase, can I come in?" She heard Willow reply.

"Yeah, Wills."

Her friend entered and immediately engulfed Chase in her arms.

"How are you doing sweetie?" She asked a moment later.

"I'm fine,"

"Chris is pretty worried about you."

Chase raised troubled eyes to her friend.

"What am I going to do?"

"I think you already know that," Willow replied reaching out to give her friends hand a squeeze. "You just need to apply physical actions to your thinking."

"In other words you’re saying I'm a wuss." She said a half-hearted smile forming on her lips.

"No, I'm saying the opposite."

"Huh?"

At Chase's confused expression she continued.

"I'm saying it's time to stop hiding. I'm saying maybe it's time for the Cordelia I knew back in high school to make a come back. The Cordelia who didn't take crap from no one, the Cordelia everyone loved to hate, the Queen B." She held her hand up to silence Chase when she made to protest.

"It's time to take the bull by the balls, to stand as tall as the tree's. It's time to either embrace your past, or say goodbye to it." Willow continued in all seriousness. "And no matter what you decide, I will be behind you one hundred percent."

"Your right, this was the plan all along. Only thing that's changed is Angel came to us. I can do this." Chase stood feeling a lot of her old resolve flow through her body as she held her shoulders up and her head high. "I am Cordelia Chase, former May Queen of Sunnydale High, the meanest, baddest girl on campus!"

"That's the spirit!" Willow cheered with a grin. "...But meanest and baddest?"

Catching her friend's gaze in the mirror she sent her a grin. "Well I can't actually say richest and most popular now can I, seeing I am neither of those things now."

Checking herself once more in the mirror she linked her hands with Willow before reaching out to open the door.

**

Part Twenty-Two

**

"Left. Go left!"

"Stop with the yelling English! I want to see her just as badly as you do!" Gunn yelled back momentarily taking his eyes off the road ahead of him to glare at the man seated anxiously beside him.

"Okay turn here." Wesley instructed, although his tone had lessened somewhat his words were still spoken with force.

Gunn pulled up in front of the hotel's revolving doors and jumped out flinging the keys to the waiting valet both men rushing inside without a word.

"What floor?" Gunn asked heading towards the elevator. He glanced back at the now stilled Wesley. "You did ask Angel for the floor and room number, right?"

"Y-y-yes... ahem... of course I did." Wesley replied shifting from foot to foot nervously.

"Well?"

"It's ah..."

"Guys..."

"Oh, thank god," Wesley groaned inwardly when an approaching Angel cut him off. Gunn chuckled at his friend before both men turned to face the vampire.

"Where is she?"

"Does she know we're here?"

"How does she look?

"Angel, tell us something?"

The vampire waited till his friends had quieted before letting out an unneeded breath.

"She's fine... a little shocked maybe but who wouldn't be after all this time."

"What happened to her?"

"Where has she been all this time?"

"Does she even know who you are?"

"Guys please." For the first time Wesley saw the strain this ordeal was having on the vampire's face, which had only showed two things - anger or hopelessness since he found out Cordelia had gone missing. His face now showing signs of weariness and exhaustion and as ironic as it seemed... age. Not the age of a vampire, but the age of a man.

"Sorry Angel, we're both just excited to see her."

"Yeah man, Cordelia's our girl." Gunn added following Wesley's example.

"I don't know. When I got here..." Angel began as they all entered the elevator.

"What is it?" Wesley asked his brows knotting together. "Cordelia is okay, right?"

"Yes, she's fine."

"Dawg, will you tell us already!" Gunn exclaimed as the elevator came to a stop and Angel still hadn't responded.

"I just think she wishes she could have stayed hidden." Angel said in all honesty as he turned from his friends to walk down the darkened hallway.

**

All heads turned to the bathroom door as it opened and in that span of time you could've heard a pin a drop. Willow appeared first, Jeff immediately at her side pulling her towards one of the two couches that the hotel provided. Xander's eyes darkening as he watched the man kiss the top of her head as she instinctively burrowed into his chest.

He turned his eyes away from them only to meet the knowing gaze of Buffy. She walked over to him then and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, she knew only too well how hard it was to see the one you love, love another.

Cordelia appeared then, her eyebrow's drawing together as her gaze moved about the room stopping when her eyes met the deep blue ones of Chris Jericho before she let her gaze fall. 'Not yet,' she thought 'First I face the past.'

Her 'I-am-better-than-you' mask firmly in place she lifted her head and made her way over to Xander and Buffy silently reciting 'I can do this, I can do this.'

Before she got a chance to plaster a smile to her face there was a knock at the door, she turned for the briefer of second's as Lita opened the door. But that was enough, and for the second time that night Cordelia's resolve crumbled.

**

Part Twenty Three

**

There was silence in the room as the new comer's pushed there way through the open doorway to kneel beside's Chase, Chris was amazed at the way she took to them immediately. Unlike the first guy, she actually seemed happy they were there.

Chris watched her hug them both in turn, her tear's falling and mixing with there's. He lifted his gaze from the scene on the floor in the middle of the room catching Willow's sympathetic look before slowly turning to walk out the door, shutting it behind him.

Seeing her friend leave Lita inched her way closer to Willow her look speaking more then words ever could.

"I'm sorry I don’t know what to say..." Willow began looking back and forth between Lita to the group huddled on the floor.

"How about the truth cause frankly our hotel room is full of stranger's and my best friend's heart is breaking as we speak."

"Lita..." Matt began reaching out to his girlfriend but Chase's voice stilled his efforts.

"She's right," They all turned to see Chase standing before them flanked by the two new comers. "It's truth time."

No one noticed Angel slip out onto the balcony and over the edge.

**

They all sat around where they could in the tiny hotel room meant only to accommodate two people so basically it was find a spot and claim it.

Buffy and Xander had the only two chairs in the room, Matt and Lita sat on one bed, Jeff and Willow on the other while Chase, Wesley and Gunn sat so close to each other on the floor they could have been joined at the hip.

After introduction's were made once again Chase and Willow began the tale of how they came to be in the WWE, beginning with the vision that sent Wes and Gunn off to slay the big bad, then the vision of their deaths. Then came Willow's going all evil and trying to end the world saga and after many tears, the inevitable question's and Wes and Gunn's version of that fateful night... it ended with Cordelia and Willow's friendship and the new friend's she had made in the WWE.

"Visions... cool," Jeff said intrigued.

"That’s why you freaked when you saw your old friend Angel..." Lita said wiping at the tears that had escaped at hearing all that Chase had been through.

"And why she 'freaked' as you put it even more at the sight of us," Wesley added his arm moving of its own accord to encircle Cordy’s shoulders and pull her too him.

"Vampires and demons... ever cooler!" Jeff rambled still in his own little world.

So... your name is not Chase?" Matt asked pulling Lita back against him sending his brother a snap-out-of-it look.

"Well it is... and it isn’t." Cordy replied looking up at them on the bed. "My name is Cordelia Chase."

"Cordelia..." Jeff repeated letting the name roll off his tongue. "I like it." before his eyebrows drew together and he looked down at the girl in his lap a panicked look on his face. "And is your name Willow?"

"Afraid so," Willow smiled back.

"Phew!"

"Why phew?"

Jeff looked away sheepishly then glared at the couple on the other bed as they said.

"Cause he tattooed the name Willow on his butt!"

Chuckles could be heard around the room but Willow took Jeff's now red face between her hands. "Aww... that’s sweet... no ones ever tattooed my name to their butt before..." Willow battered her eyelashes up at him before asking innocently. "Can I see?"

Matt and Lita nearly fell off the bed they were laughing so hard. Xander grumbled to himself in his chair next to Buffy, shaking off her hand when she reached out to him. Getting to his feet he walked towards the balcony staring out at the night sky.

Willow stood and walked over to stand behind Xander as he looked out over the at the city lights of LA.

"I don’t want to lose you, Wills."

"You won’t Xand, we're best buds."

"For always and forever?" He asked stretching out a hand behind him instantly feeling her hand slip into his.

"For always and forever... and then some."

**

Part Twenty Four

**

Chris sat at the bar in the hotel staring into his beer, mindless of everyone and every sound around him. His face grim and his shoulders slumped. He had known the feeling of loss before, had experienced it enough in his lifetime but that didn't compare to the feeling he felt now. He felt completely and utterly alone.

He was losing the one thing that meant more to him in this whole god forsaken world. He saw the depth of emotion in her at the sight of the two new arrivals, saw the love and affection both men showered on her. Watched as they had embraced for what seemed like an eternity.

But what cut him up inside was that all their affection and love was returned by her.

"I'm losing her..." He whispered quietly to himself.

"She wasn't yours to begin with."

Chris turned to see the dark haired man, Angel, standing behind him. 'Angel,' He snorted, '...What a sissy name.'

"What do you want?"

"I think that's pretty obvious." The man replied sitting down on the stool next to him. "I wont lie to you and say I didn't come to take Cordy back with me because we both know that's not true."

Angel watched as the man beside him just continued to stare down into his bottle.

"Truth is I didn't give any thought to what my coming here would do to her life now. Never thought of her forging new friendship's given the life she had with us." A small smile came to his lips. "You know I wouldn't even be here talking this out with you if it wasn't for her, she taught me to open up. She taught me a lot of things."

"She kind of has that affect on everyone she meet's I think." Chris replied a smile of his own gracing his features.

"Do you love her?"

"Do you?"

"More than I ever thought possible."

"Seems we are both in the same boat then," Chris said pushing his half empty bottle to the side as he stood to his feet.

"Do you even have the faintest idea of the life Cordelia lead before coming here?" Angel asked grabbing hold of Chris's arm stilling his departure. "The things she knows, the things she needs to be protected from. She hasn't had it easy she’s a lot more attune to what's out there. Dammit! We searched for months!" Angel closed his eyes he couldn't believe he was on the verge of a break down! He didn't have breakdowns!

Chris looked hard at the man before him not seeing any of the emotions his words carried in his face but knowing by the grip Angel had on his arm and the silent plea in his tone that he was hurting just as much as everyone else, maybe even more so, but when it came down to it he was still here to take Chase away from him and that one thought blotted out everything else.

"I have searched for years."

Chris's voice was low but Angel heard it. Silently he watched as the other man made his way out of the bar.

**

"You and Cordelia seem really buddy-buddy…"

Willow had been waiting for this, her heart pounded for a moment before she swallowed and shrugged.

"People change, Buffy."

"Change?" Buffy scoffed. "I don't see any change,"

Willow closed her eyes, shaking her head. "You don't understand about Chas- Cordelia." Willow corrected. "You still think she's the bitch we all knew in high school."

"Are you telling me she's not?"

Willow allowed one tired smile before she answered honestly.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you. She's a friend."

"She, still, after all these years thinks she can take Angel away from me."

Willow turned no sign of the pity she felt towards her once best friend showing on her face.

"Buffy you're hanging on to a thread. You and Angel were together, yes, back in high school. Those days are gone. They've been best friends for over two years. They co-existed when everyone else shunned them. Think about it."

For a moment Buffy could say nothing, the hurt in her eyes almost killed Willow, and she immediately turned away her own eyes misty with tears. "Buffy, I'm sorry."

"Just... don't." Buffy said softly, the two women stood, staring at each other, oblivious to anyone else.

The heartbreak emanating from the little blonde was so clear it was almost tangible.

**

Part Twenty Five

**

"Do you think she'll go back?" Jeff whispered into the ear of the girl seated in his lap. Willow watched as Wes and Gunn hovered around Cordy, they hadn't given her a moment's peace since they had arrived but she didn't seem mind, which was evidence of the woman she had become, the woman who she called her friend. The old Cordy would have told them to get lost two hours ago.

Willow sighed before turning her head up to look into his eyes.

"As much as I love them all, I hope not."

Jeff smiled down at her and time seemed to stand still as he leaned down.

"Ahem..."

Willow shot up knocking the top of her head on Jeff's chin causing them both to yelp in pain.

"Gee, Chase, make some noise will yah?" Jeff grumbled rubbing his chin.

"Sorry," She apologized through her giggles. "I just need to borrow Willow for a minute."

"Your time starts now," He stated looking to the watch on the wrist. "I suggest you hurry." He added when both girls turned amused eyes on him.

"How goes the reunion?" Willow asked getting to her feet before pulling Chase towards the balcony and out of hearing range from the rest of the occupant's in the room. Everyone seemed to be off in their own little world's, Lita and Matt were on one bed, her head nestled in his lap as she slept, his fingers absently trailing through her long locks. Wes and Gunn still sat on the floor with their backs to the wall and Buffy and Xander seemed to be deep in a discussion of their own.

"It's going well, all this time I thought they were dead and yet here they are."

"Are you happy?"

"Yes of course! They are my family..."

"But?" Willow asked when Chase's voice trailed off.

Chase looked up into Willow's eyes and all the emotion and feeling's of the past twenty-four hour's shone through. "But... I have another family now."

Willow's voice spoke volume's as she leaned forward giving her friend a quick hug.

"I was wondering if you could..." Chase looked over at Wes and Gunn before turning back to face Willow. "Could you..."

"Go," Willow smiled a knowing look in her eyes. "I'll tell them you’re indisposed." She added giggling to herself as Chase slipped out onto the balcony and down the fire escape.

All conversation in the room stopped as the door burst open and what seemed to be a blur of hair streamed in wrapping itself around Willow.

Willow seemed surprised at first but as a familiar feeling washed over her she returned the hug just as vigorously.

"Dawnie?"

"Hope you don't mind," Buffy said from her perch on the arm of the only armchair in the room. "I knew they were hanging out to see you so..."

Willow looked over as Buffy offered her a small smile. It was the first form of communication Buffy had directed to her since their little war of the word's a couple hours ago and even though a lot had changed in both their worlds, she hoped it wouldn't be the last.

"Thanks." Willow smiled back to the girl who had been one of her best friends for so long before a thought occurred to her. "...They?"

Looking behind Dawn, Willow noticed another figure in the doorway.

"Spike!"

"Hello pet."

**

"Chris?"

He couldn't help but stiffen at the voice that met him as he stepped out of the elevator. He had really hoped just to make it to his room unnoticed, not really wanting to deal with all this. Didn't want to deal with Chase... Cordy... whoever she was. She meant the world to him but he couldn't help the feeling of betrayal that had crept into his bones upon the arrival of the group of stranger's.

He didn't know which Chase was the real Chase, didn't know if all this time he should have listened to her and just left her the hell alone. His Chase hadn't really been his Chase at all. His chase had really been their Cordy.

There were too many unanswered questions in his mind and right now he didn't want to deliberate on any of them and more importantly he didn't want to deliberate on any of them with her.

Walking to his hotel room door he swiped his key card and opened the door before turning to face her although he didn't raise his eyes to hers.

"Not now," Was all she heard whispered from his lips before he stepped into the room and shut the door.

**

Part Twenty Six

**

Chase stood and looked out at the sun rising over the horizon, who would of thought this time yesterday she was contemplating her new life, new friend's and new relationship. Now in the span of a day all that had changed. 'No.' she thought shaking her head as she raised her eyes heavenward. 'Nothing's changed, if anything it's happened all over again.'

Two men, two men who both had her heart, one in the past tense the other in the now.

Two words, two small little words uttered at different times by each of them but said with so much significance.

And her life had changed yet again. What was she to do now? Run again?

Once the thought was in her mind she knew she wouldn't follow through, not when knowing Wes and Gunn were still alive, they were all she had when Angel had fired them and they would be all she had now.

She was going home.

**

Buffy looked over to where Willow sat in the lap of her boyfriend, Jeff Hardy. Spike and Jeff had hit it off straight away Spike being the die-hard Wrestling fan that he was hadn't shut up since his and Dawn's arrival. Jeff didn't seem to mind the endless banter which immediately put a tick next to his name in her books. Anyone who could handle an over the top vampire wrestling fanatic and her little sister had to be good in her book. Lord knew many had tried and failed.

She had never seen her friend look so happy, so content with her surroundings, with her life.

They had been so selfish in coming here. Not given a thought to the life Willow may have had here. Had been ready to just pluck her up out of this place and tuck her nice and safely back into the quirky research girl role.

Looking at her now she knew Willow was where she wanted to be. Willow had found home.

Turning to face the man seated next to her she saw the same realizations mirrored in his features. The corners of his mouth lifted in his half-hearted Xander way and he shrugged.

"She really is happy here isn't she?"

"Yes, I really believe she is."

**

The lobby was still dark even though it was nearing sunrise, Angel watched as a few stragglers stumbled their way through the hotel doors no doubt returning from a night of drink and debauchery. The only other excuse was that they were vamp's seeking shelter from the now rising sun but the sound's of their heartbeat's soon squashed that thought.

'I've searched for years.' He couldn't get the other man's words out of his mind. As soon as the other man had whispered the words it had dawned on him that this man truly loved Cordelia, not as a man would love a woman but as a soul would love a soul.

He wasn't ready to go back to the room yet, wasn't ready to hear Cordy tell them all she wouldn't be coming home with them.

She had looked so afraid of him. He couldn't believe it had come to this. He had lost her and he had no one else to blame but himself.

"Angel."

Not bothering to look up at the sound of his name he waited until the man had come to a stop in front of him.

He must really be losing his touch if he thought only one man was approaching because he counted more then one pair of shoes in his line of sight. Leaning back he let his gaze travel to the group huddled in front of him their expressions extremely happy given the circumstances.

"What's going on?"

He looked up into the faces of Wes and Gunn noting that Gunn held a small travel bag in his hand. Glancing behind them he saw a very teary eyed Willow reach out and hug an equally teary eyed Cordelia.

"She's coming home." He heard Gunn reply and his head snapped up as the elevator doors opened again and the other's foiled out, Buffy, Xander and Dawn all taking there turn with Willow before she stepped back into the embrace of the waiting Jeff Hardy.

Confusion still evident on his face he looked to Wesley for confirmation and his brows drew together as the other man nodded in response.

Grabbing the travel bag Gunn clutched in his hand Angel moved towards Cordelia. He knew he would regret what he was about to do for the rest of his un-dead life, but he knew this was what he had to do.

Straightening his shoulder's under her gaze he breathed in an unneeded but very wanted breath into his dead lung's and dropped her bag at her feet.

Jeff had to literally hold Willow up as they all heard Angel say.

"You're staying here."

**

Part Twenty Seven

**

Chris lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling watching the fan twirl around slowly sending a cool light breeze spiralling down towards him. For the first time in his life he was at a total loss as what to do… and weighing up the pro's and cons of Chase staying or going wasn't helping. In his mind he would lose either way.

If she stayed there would always be this weirdness between them, mostly on his part he had to admit because of the betrayal he felt towards her. His feeling's had spurned from his manliness he had already admitted to that but what he hadn't counted on was the deep love those feelings had grown into to, the kind of love that literally ached, throb after painful throb. That's what he felt for Chase, the Chase he knew anyway.

But now there seems to be another side of her, a side that didn't include him. He hadn't missed the look she gave him when she and Willow had come out of the bathroom. Her eyes meeting his for less than a second before she had turned away from him but even then he held on to a thread of hope that she felt for him as deeply as he felt for her.

But what she did next cut through that thread as easily as a hot knife through butter. She turned and walked away from him.

A knock on his door brought him out of his thought's but not up off his position on the bed. The last twenty-four hours had really taken its toll on him.

"Chris?"

The knocking began to get insistent and the door rattled on it's hinge's.

"Chris, I know you’re in there, open up!" He heard Lita call from the other side.

Knowing his friend as he did he knew her stubborn self wouldn't let up until he answered.

"Finally!" She stated pushing past him as soon as he opened the door. "I need to ask you something."

"Lita, this really isn't the best-"

"Shut the hell up and listen! We haven't got much time."

Chris's mouth dropped open in surprise as she cut him off his own word's dying on his lips.

"I know you haven't heard the full story of Chase's past but I have, and don’t go thinking I'm about to tell you cause I’m not it's not my story to tell." She held up her hand silencing his interruption. "But, what I can tell you is she has been through more, seen more in her young life then we have seen in both our lives put together. She sought redemption for something she had no control over, something she had deemed her doing."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because Chris, I believe she has found her redemption, here in the WWE." Reaching out she picked up both his hands in hers bringing them up between them. "Here with you."

His lips moved but the words never came, his breathing grew harsh and Lita saw that he was fighting back tears.

"Do you love Chase?"

"Yes... No... I... Maybe..."

Lita leaned closer to him her eyes locking with his.

"Let's try this again and this time it's a one answer question. Are you in love with Chase?"

"Yes."

She seemed to literally relax then as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Not releasing his hands from hers she turned on her heel and pulled him out the door.

"I don't have the keycard... Lita my room door is still open-"

"No time." She replied pressing the down button once they had reached the elevator.

"No time?" He repeated his brow's drawing together.

"Chase is leaving."

All colour drained from Chris's face at Lita's words. 'Chase is leaving.' His Chase? All thoughts of her past fled his mind at those three words. 'CHASE WAS LEAVING!'

He started pushing the buttons inside the elevator willing it to move faster, Lita having to pull him away from the control panel like a mother pulling away her child from the swing.

"Chris all you’re going to achieve by doing that is getting us stuck in between floors. Now calm down."

Chris glanced apologetically at her before closing his eyes. She could see all the agitation and distress in his hand's as he clenched and unclenched his finger's, his knuckles turning white.

It felt like forever before the elevator stopped, Chris not waiting for the doors to fully open before he burst through falling flat on his butt as he collided with someone standing on the other side.

"Well, that's one way to get my attention."

Chris looked over at a smiling Chase as she sat across from him on the floor where she had also landed on her butt. His eyes moved to the travel bag that was beside her before he leapt into action crawling over to her not caring that apart from the group he was already associated with a new group of onlookers now stood watching as he planted his lip's on hers.

Chase was absolutely floored! Chris had never been this blatant before, all he had ever given her was a few closed mouth kisses, chaste kisses. But this... this kiss was an earth moving, glass shattering, knock you right outta your bobby sock's kinda kiss and she relished it, accepting all he offered.

"Umm Chris..."

"Hmmm?"

"Chase?"

"Aha..."

"Guys?"

"What is it?" Chris asked finally releasing Chase's lip's only to place them at the base of her throat once the words were out of his mouth.

"Oh, I dunno..." Jeff said smiling down at Willow. "Audience comes to mind."

"And lobby." Willow added cuddling in closer to Jeff's chest.

"Floor, there's a good one." Lita laughed as she looked down at them.

"I have an even better one." The group turned hearing a strange yet familiar voice behind them to see Michael Cole standing there microphone in hand, camera man beside him. "Smile."

**

Epilogue

**

"Take care bro," Chris placed the receiver down before turning back to his wife. "Angel says hello."

Chase sent him a smile her eye's lingering on his for a moment before turning back to stare up at the monitor, which played the scene of her and Chris on the hotel lobby floor for what seemed like the umpteenth time. "I can't believe they're still airing that!"

"What can I say, except we make for great TV viewing." Chris grinned back at her pulling her into his arms. "Have I told you today how much I love you, Mrs Jericho?"

"Not in the last few hours, Mr Jericho." She grinned back leaning up to kiss his willing lips.

"Hey Chase- Oh, sorry..." Willow clapped a hand over her mouth stopping mid step only to have her fiancé Jeff barrel into her from behind.

"Oh... hey... OH!" He stammered grabbing onto Willow before she lost her balance and fell forward.

"Can we help you?" Chase smiled turning in Chris's arms.

"Oh, no, not at all, please continue, we were never even here..."

"Willow," Chase laughed as the other girl tried to usher a grinning Jeff Hardy out of the room. "You're here now and we're listening."

"We are?" Chris mumbled into her throat.

Chase elbowed her husband in the side before smiling sweetly up at him.

"Yes, we are."

Jeff tried to stifle the chuckle that rose in his throat pulling Willow in front of him as Chris sent him a glare.

"Just wanted to give you this," She said moving closer to them waving a small white envelope in her hand. "...Came today."

"What is it?"

"Open it and see that's what people normally do when handed a small white envelope - Ow!"

"Quiet sweetie," Willow said slapping Jeff upside the head. "Love you." She added turning his frown upside down.

"It's a wedding invitation," Chase said pulling the card of the envelope and opening it. "Xander and Buffy, oh my god!"

"Isn't it great?"

"It's wonderful!" Chase exclaimed her eyes bright with excitement. "We so need to go shopping!"

Both men rolled their eyes at each other before following the women they loved out of the locker room and into the night.

**

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**