Title: Walking The Past.

Author: Louise Mills

Email address: [email protected]

Disclaimer: I do not own any of characters from the Buffy the vampire slayer and Angel. They belong to Joss Whedon.

Author Notes: Please excuse my grammar; I was never good at English. This part is in the timeline of the scobbie's gang senior year in high school.

Rating: PG.

Classification: A/C

Spoilers: None

Status: Incomplete

Part One.

Cordelia was walking towards her less favourite class, History. When she bumped into Buffy.

"Morning Buffy, any trouble?" Buffy looked Cordelia up and down wondering why she was so interested all the sudden.

"Why you asking?" Cordelia gave Buffy her best smile and continue talking.

"Just curious."

"Your curious, yeah right Cordelia pull the other one."

"Oh okay if you really want to know the truth, I wanted a reason to get out of History." Buffy laughed.

"I think I have tried that excuse with Giles to try and get out of History."

"And what did you say?" Cordelia said hoping he said something to her advantage.

"Believe me you don't want to know!"

"So let me guess, he said something like, how important it was to know our past, if we want to look towards the future." Buffy raised her eyebrows at Cordelia.

"Cordelia that's exactly what he said."

"Yeah I thought as much, it seems like every teacher likes that line. Must be a famous saying or something." Cordelia chuckled to herself, really dreading of walking into her History class. She hadn't done her assignment and her teacher warned her the next time she didn't do her work, the plenty would be grave. And living in Sunnydale grave could literally mean grave.

"Cordelia before you go and work your self up maybe you should know History classes have been cancelled today." Cordelia eyes grew doubled in size when she heard Buffy say those beautiful words.

"Yes that gives me a day to do my assignment."

"You haven't even started ject, you do know if she realises you did it in a rush, she still be as mad as if you didn't do it."

"Yeah I know but I'll be handing something in."

"Yeah, so what period did you get?"

"1700's you wouldn't know where I can start do you?" Buffy smiled at Cordelia, she knew exactly where she would start.

"Well you could ask someone who was alive in the 1700's!"

"Yeah, I could thanks Buffy. You wouldn't mind if he helped me with my assignment."

"Of course not unless it becomes more than just studying." Buffy says this to Cordelia as I warning, because she knew once Cordelia like, her Angel a lot.

"Oh Buffy don't worry once found out he was vampire, I lost interest." Cordelia was hoping Buffy didn't realise she was lying. The truth of the matter was, that she was in love with the vampire. And knew she could never have him, so she made it out that she was no longer interested.

"I know, but I still had to say it." Buffy looked down at her watch, it was getting close to her next class. "Oh got to run Cordelia, meet me at the library after classes and I take you to Angel's."

"Okay, thanks, Buffy."

Library After School,

Buffy entered the library and sat down patiently waiting for Cordelia. Oblivious to Buffy Cordelia was in the library within the stacks.

10 Minutes Later,

Buffy was starting to get frustrated, 'where the hell is she.' Her mind shouted.

Giles walked fro the stalks and spotted Buffy on saw she was frustrated.

"Oh Buffy there you are! We've been waiting for you. You haven't been here long have you?"

"We've? And yes about 10 minutes."

"Well, yes me and Cordelia have been waiting."

"She's here?"

"Yes, I'm here, Files has been helping me get a few books, for my assignment. So I can get another perspective of the period."

"God idea, so why let me wait here?"

"Well Buffy, we didn't hear you arrive." Giles said while cleaning his glasses.

"Cordelia did you read the notice broad today?"

"No, I hardy read from it, the stuff posted on the board is usually boring, anyway."

"Well I would usually agree with you, but willow said, I better read the notice from our History teacher." Cordelia's face turned to one of terror.

"What did it say?"

"That our assignment has been changed to show and tell. And that we have to dress in the period we are doing. And because of that reason, she's giving us an extra week to prepare."

"Oh God!" Cordelia dropped the books she was holding on to the table. "I suppose the best way to look at this situation, is that I have an extra week to complete my essay. But where am I going to get the period dress from."

"Oh, I'm sure you figure something out, Cordelia. So you still want to go to Angel's?"

"Yeah, why not! The quicker I'm finished with the essay, the more time I can look for a suitable dress."

Outside Angel's Mansion,

"Cordelia, why don't you just go in I forgot my mother wanted me to do something, before I come home."

"Oh, okay sure." Buffy was out before Cordelia could finish her sentence. And all the sudden Cordelia felt anxious, she knew she could hind what she felt about Angel, if Buffy was around. But now she wasn't around, and how was she supposing to hind from a vampire, her increased heart beat and breathing. At least with Buffy around, he would be concentrating on Buffy instead of her.

Cordelia slowly crept towards the door, and she took a deep breath in and pushed open the door with a confident air.

Angel was trying reading a book, his mind was wandering and mostly about Cordelia. He had known something for centuries about Cordelia, and it was nearing that time, when that something would happen.

Angel heard the door open and he thought it would be Buffy, but he sensed it wasn't and turned to see who it was.

"Cordelia?"

"Angel, um I'm wandering if you… um… um…" Cordelia was stuttering, Angel could tell she was really nervous. Of course he knew it was because she loved him. He knew that before, she even knew she was in love with him.

"Cordelia, you don't have to be nervous when asking me for a favour."

"Oh I know, sorry it's been a long day." Cordelia said finally getting her confidence back. "Can you help me with an assignment."

Angel suddenly had a flashback to before he was turned. To a lovely girl called Gaynor, who looked exactly like Cordelia. They had been riding in the woods and had came to s meadow, where they had set up a picnic, And Gaynor told him this, "The reason it was made possible to be here, my love, is one day, I asked a friend called Angel for help. On my History assignment."

Angel knew Cordelia was Gaynor and because of that was already in love with Cordelia. But knew nothing could happen until Cordelia/Gaynor hinted to when Cordelia was going to be transported back in time. It had been a long time to wait, but the time was finally here. It was hard to be in love with people at the same time, but somehow he had managed.

Cordelia just stared at Angel, he had been quiet for about 10 minutes, it looked like he was remembering something. It was like what she had just said triggered a memory.

Cordelia went towards Angel; she reached out towards him, and touched him on the shoulder. "Angel you okay?"

Angel shook himself back to reality, "Sorry, sure I'll help as much as can, so what's the subject?"

Cordelia decided to drop the subject about him spacing out because it seemed like he didn't want to discuss it.

"History, 1700's to be exact. I need to write an essay about how life was, how people of that period lived. I thought who better to ask then someone who was born in that period." Angel give her one of his rare, full smiles, and she knew she should count herself lucky.

"Sure come sit down, so how do you want to do this. I can tell you stories about some of the things, I did when I was growing up. Or do you want the major facts of what happen in the 18th century." Cordelia sat herself down next to Angel, and thought about what would be the best way to get the research she needed, while staring into the blazing fire.

"I think both, but I think maybe if we start with the facts, like what kind of houses you live in? What kind of daily chores had to be done? Things like that, and then maybe tell me what important people were alive in the period. Then maybe we can get on to your story telling."

Cordelia turned her glance from the fire to Angel, who she noticed was smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Okay, What's so funny vamp boy?"

"Sorry, you always remind me of someone and it always makes me smile. Actually sometimes you are so like her, I think you are her, and I have to tell myself your not." Cordelia smiled sincerely at Angel, as she had reminded him of someone he loved, and she could see a little amount of pain in his eyes. She knew it was difficult to talk about her.

"She was obviously someone you loved very much?"

"Yes she was, and do you know how you remind me of her?" Cordelia shook her head and Angel continued. "Everything about you! Your looks, if I didn't know it, I would say you were twins. Your witty ness, your honesty, nearly your whole personality." Angel was not afraid to tell Cordelia these things now because maybe once she goes back in time. She would remember this conversation and know all the time he was a vampire and in Sunnydale he was n love with her.

"Really wow, sounds like I've had a past life, and we happen to be in love." Cordelia said slightly laughing.

"Well I didn't believe in past lives until I saw you."

"What?? You have to be joking, you think I was your past love from when you were human?" Cordelia stared into his eyes realising he believe it with all his heart and soul. "Okay, if you believed that, how come from the minute you was me, you didn't take any notice. And if you believed I was her, how come you're not in love with me?"

Angel got off the position he was sitting in and walked over to the fire. He picked up a poker and poked the ambers of the fire. "How would you know if I love you or not, Cordelia?"

"Oh I don't know maybe it's because you never said so, oh and you have never showed any interest."

"Well what if I told you that the person I loved when I was human, wasn't you in your past life, but you. And I realised that she was from the future when I got my soul, and became Angel."

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"And I didn't tell you I loved you because I knew there would be a time and place to tell you."

"And I'm supposing that's now?" Angel turned round and faced Cordelia.

"Yes."

"So… you love me, but you also love Buffy?" Angel nodded his head, and sat down next to Cordelia.

"I loved Buffy, before I even knew you lived in Sunnydale. But when I first saw you, I knew you were my first love and I had convicting thoughts about you and Buffy."

"So, you chose to be with Buffy because you thought you two were each others destiny's because you were like slayer and vampire?"

"Yeah something like that, but I now know, I made the wrong decision."

"You know this because you have been having dreams?"

"How do you know?"

"Because I've been having dreams as well, in them 'the powers that be' or something keep telling me your love's past is your future. I didn't understand what they were saying, but if what you say is true, I understand now."

They looked at each other and leaned into one other, their lips were about to touch, when they heard the handle on the door turn. They made distance between each other and pretended to be doing something.

The door opened and Cordelia and Angel turned to see who it was.

"Buffy?" angel and Cordelia said at the same time.

"Hi, I've finished the job my mother wanted me to do, so I thought I come back here to see if you needed any help."

Angel stood up from where he was sitting, and stood in front of Buffy. "Buffy there's no need me and Cordelia are finished for the night." Angel then turned to Cordelia, "Cordelia, why don't you read the chapter on 'the way they lived' and I meet you again at sun down tomorrow in the library." Angel thought it would be better for now that him and Cordelia, shouldn't be left alone for a while.

"Sure sounds great thanks for all the help, Angel." Cordelia stands up and collects all the books she had and started to walk out. Her heart aching because she knew Angel loved her and Buffy was going to staying with, her Angel.

Once Cordelia was out of the door, she leaned against it and her eyes started to water. She sighed and she slid down the door, and contemplated what would of happen if Buffy, wouldn't of came in when she did.

Angel watched as Cordelia stepped out of the mansion wishing that it was Buffy leaving and not Cordelia. Once she was gone, he was still staring at the door, she hadn't left he could still hear her heart beat from behind the door.

"Angel, come and sit down?" Buffy asked Angel wondering why he was still staring at the door that Cordelia just walked though. Wondering what or if she interrupted something going on between Angel and Cordelia.

"Um… Buffy I have to go and get some food, I'm sorry, but I have to run. So why don't you stay here, and I'll be back soon."

"Sure, see you in a minute." Angel started to walk out and opened the door that Cordelia wasn't sitting up against. Once outside he closed the door and knelt down beside Cordelia, who was now looking into his eyes. And he noticed her eyes were red like she had been crying.

"Cordelia!"

"Angel, what's going on?" Her voice was had an edge like she was about to cry.

Angel moved his hand to her face and started gentle stoking her cheek. "I don't know, come on I walk you home. I don't want Buffy to catch us here, do you?" Cordelia smiled and shook her head.

Angel helped her up and walked her home.

End of part one…