Title: There's No Place Like Home

Author: Calandra

Feedback: Please!

Disclaimer: They're not mine, ok? I'll give them back undamaged... well, except for those coffee spots but that was NOT my fault. *g* Honestly though, they belong to Joss so don't sue *g*

Distribution: Sweet Delusions, anyone else ask.

Rating: G... I think, PG-13 at most

Notes: This is in response to a fic challenge

"Denis, no!"

Cordelia watched, wide eyed as a porcelain vase flew through the air and shattered against the wall.

"Do you have any idea how much that costs?!" She shrieked.

There was no response of course. The problem with being a ghost was that you couldn't apologize for breaking priceless vases.

She ducked behind the couch as a chair rose in the air. She didn't see where it landed but this time there was no smashing sound, only a loud grunt.

Cordelia's head popped back up and she glared imperiously at the other person in the room. Well, person wasn't exactly the right word; hideous, pus dripping demon was closer to the truth.

"Take that, you ugly demon thing! Nobody messes with Cordelia Chase!"

He just groaned again and clutched his stomach. Avoiding the projectiles that continued to rain on him, the demon made his way to the door.

He was about to open it when it slammed into his face. He fell to the ground, causing the whole apartment to shake at his weight.

He tried to get up, escape the wrath of the angry ghost but a hand slammed into his face, knocking him to the floor again.

Angel stood above him for a moment before pulling a battle axe off his back. He swung it over his head a few times before slamming it down on the thick neck. Black blood oozed out of the wound.

Just as Angel leaned the axe against the wall and wiped the sweat off his forehead, Doyle appeared. The little Irishman clutched the doorframe as he surveilled the scene, trying to catch his breath.

His eyes settled on Cordelia who was carefully coming out from behind the couch. "Are you alrigh', princess?"

"Of course I'm not alright! Look what these lunkheads did to my apartment! Blood does not come out and look at my vase!"

Angel scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh, Cordelia, he would have killed you. From the looks of it, he's a mercenary demon and there's a contract out on you."

She snorted and started to pick up the remainder of Denis' makeshift weapons; the ghost soon helped her. "As if. What would they want with me? I'm not a demonic bane of evil or a drunken gambler."

The two men glanced at each other uncomfortably. Angel finally cleared his throat. "It doesn't matter why they're after you; this is the third time in as many days that you've been attacked. Maybe you should stay at my place until we figure out what's going on."

Doyle started to nod the blinked. His eyes moved quickly between Angel and Cordy. "No! I mean...."

"Not on your unlife," Cordelia said, hands on her hips. "My high school reunion is in a couple of days. I'm leaving for Sunnydale in the morning."

A closet door opened and something rose her packed luggage in the air. Cordy glared at the spot where the ghost seemed to be and the bags were lowered to the ground again.

Angel took a hold of her shoulders and gave her a good shake. "Cordelia, I can't leave L.A., I can't protect you if you go. This is your life we're talking about."

"I'll go wit' her."

Doyle's two, possibly only, friends turned towards him; they seemed to have completely forgotten his presence. He lowered his deep blue eyes and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

He only looked up when he felt a slight pressure on his arm Cordelia smiled at him. "It's settled then, be ready tomorrow morning."

*************

Doyle stretched in his spot on the passenger side of Cordy's Volkswagen Golf. He watched her drive silently, trying not to stare.

He watched her perfectly manicured fingers on the steering wheel as the wind blew through her hair. She was smiling brightly at the open road before them. Her grin seemed to grow as they approached Sunnydale. There's no place like home.

"So this is the big deal," he started, uncomfortable with the silence that had settled as the trip approached its end. She glanced at him quizzically and he scratched his head, hiding his flushed face from her view. "I mean, going back home after all this time."

She shrugged. "It hasn't been that long really Sunnydale just tends to have a lot of reunions because of the high mortality rate."

"But you've gotta be looking forward to seeing all your friends again, ya?"

She closed her eyes for an instant before turning her attention back to the road. He could see her jaw clench.

"And they'll be mad with jealousy when they find out about your rich husband." He tried to cheer her up, then smiled. "Of course we'll have to share a room if we're to keep up that ruse."

She grinned again and slapped his shoulder playfully. He winced slightly at the pain but couldn't help but smile at the brightening of her face. "How about a bodyguard to a lovely and successful actress, then?"

"And the lie in that is?" She asked with that same playfulness. Wisely, he chose not to answer.

As they passed the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign he settled in for an interesting time.

*******************

"What do you mean you have no place for me? You're my parents!"

Mr. Chase stood in the entrance to his apartment, not holding the door open enough for Cordelia to look in. He shrugged.

"Sorry Cordelia but your mother and I are still adjusting to our new surroundings. I hear Sunnydale has some nice motels."

With that he closed the door. Cordelia stood in the entrance for a moment, frozen in shock. She just stared at the closed door, dumbstruck.

She dragged her feet to the car and sat down. She didn't seem to notice Doyle as she leaned her head on the steering wheel and closed her eyes. "What are we going to do now?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder soothingly; he hated to see her this upset. "Why don't we go to one of your friends. It's last minute, I'll admit but....."

"All my friends are living in dorms.... or basements." She sniffed. After a moment, however, she rose her head and smiled. "Wait, not all of them."

She set the car in motion and Doyle watched as Sunnydale flashed past his window. Driving with Cordy had done nothing to increase his desire for thrill-seeking and the look on her face worried him. For all he knew, they were headed for one of her ex-boyfriends' homes. Wouldn't that be just lovely?

The small Golf finally stopped in front of some elegantly decorated condos. Cordy motioned for him to come to the front door with her.

With each step her courage seemed to falter. She started to turn back. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. He always thought I was stupid and kind of annoying...."

But Doyle grabbed her gently by the shoulders and turned her back towards the door. He reached out and knocked. "We can't go to a motel, princess, it's not safe. At least we know this place is vampire proof."

Just as he finished talking, the door swung open and he found himself staring at Spike. The vampire froze, a whiskey bottle held to his lips as he recognized them.

Doyle pushed Cordelia behind him and she searched her purse for a stake. Spike took a long drink from his bottle.

"Great," he mumbled. "I certainly missed you two. Did you bring Angel, 'cause that would make this day bloody perfect. Maybe you just decided that you hadn't kicked my ass enough." He snorted and walked back into the apartment. Leaving the door open. "I'm everyone's bloody punching bag."

Doyle glanced inside to where the vampire was laying on the couch, drinking. He was frowning when he looked at Cordy again. "You want us to stay with Spike?!"

"This isn't Spike's...." She shook her head and took in the scene again as if she couldn't believe it. Then without warning, stormed into the room and stood over the demon, hands on her hips. "What did you do to Giles, you freak?"

He put a hand on his still heart. "That hurts Cordelia.... no, wait, I don't care." He emptied his bottle and threw it aside. "I sent your friend to the hospital."

Cordelia's eyes widened and rose her stake towards the vampire. Spike, for his part, stumbled clumsily to his feet. Doyle just managed to cross his arms over Cordy's before she could do anything.

"Let's not do anything rash, 'Delia." Doyle soothed, noticing fearfully how outmatched Sunnydale's Queen C was. He then turned to the drunken and hissed. "I suggest you leave or I promise, it won't be pretty."

"Dear Lord."

Everyone in the room spun around to face the flustered Englishman who had appeared in the door carrying a cooler.

Cordelia made an odd sound and broke free of Doyle's grasp. "Giles." She hugged him. An instant later, she got a hold of herself again and straightened her dress. She cleared her throat. "Why aren't you in the hospital?"

Giles blinked, taken aback by the note of accusation in Cordy's voice. "I beg your pardon?"

She rolled her eyes and pointed at Spike, who looked quite harmless clutching his head in pain as he was. "Billy Idol over there said he sent you to the hospital."

At the sound of Billy Idol's name, Spike started to hum 'White Wedding' beneath his breath. He seemed to have forgotten that there was anyone else in the room as he picked through Giles' liquor cabinet. Giles winced at the off-key humming but shook his head and turned back to the problem at hand.

"For blood Cordelia." He rose the cooler.

Cordelia gasped and grabbed Doyle's arm with enough strength to make the Irishman wince. "You're a vampire too!" She glanced out at the mid afternoon sun. "A vampire who walks in the day!"

The Brit sighed. His head seemed to be starting to hurt as much as Spike's. "I'm not a.... We're just keeping Spike here because he's been made impotent."

"Hey!"

The British librarian ignored the protest. "He has useful information... Cordelia, what are you doing here?"

"Well, when my parents wouldn't have me I pretty much realised that the only family I ever had..." She lowered her eyes and Giles had the grace to look ashamed. He took off his glasses and reached towards her but Cordelia Chase was already back. "I mean, after all those late nights, you owe me. Doyle, get our luggage."

Giles rolled his eyes and headed for the kitchen area mumbling something about karma. Doyle just smiled. Some people never changed.

***************

Willow adjusted the bags labelled 'The Dragon's Cove' in her arms. She had so many of them that she couldn't even see the door in front of her.

That didn't really matter though. Ever since the library had been blown up with the rest of the school, Giles' apartment had become their base of operations. She knew her way around it quite well. She pressed the doorbell and waited.

When the door opened, she grunted softly. "Can you help me with these?"

Two of the bags were pulled away and she froze. Instead of Giles or even Spike she found herself staring into the most gorgeous blue eyes she'd ever seen.

Her jaw hung open for a minute and he smiled at her kindly. "Doyle's the name. Who might you be, luv?"

She swallowed and felt her cheeks flush in a way that they hadn't since pre-Oz times. "I....I mean my.... I'm Willow."

He smiled again and placed the bags on a table. There seemed to be a shyness to this handsome, leather clad man that warmed her heart.

"Doyle," she mused. "It's a nice name. Why is it that demons only have one name? Is it because you live so long that you can't remember...."

"What? A demon? His eyes moved about uncomfortably and his brow furrowed sweetly. "I resent that, I'm sure luv, but how..."

"You're not a demon?" She lowered her eyes and toyed with an amber pendant hanging around her neck. She sighed. "Darn it. I was sure that I got this spell right! I'm no witch. I can't even do a simple identification spell!"

He picked up the small pendant and examined it carefully. "You mean this little thing can tell you exactly what I am? I mean, if it were, you know, working and..." He suddenly seemed to decide that the paper bags that Willow had brought in needed rearranging. She smiled and clapped her hands happily.

"You are a demon!" She exclaimed.

"Half demon technically but the other half more than makes up for it, ya?"

She giggled.

"So what brings you here? Are you here to kill us horribly because that's what most demons we come through here want."

He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as he smiled at her. "That was my plan originally but now that I've seen you, I don't think I could bring myself to do it anymore." He said lightly.

She made an 'awww' sound and placed a hand on his arm. For a moment she found herself forgetting about her ex-boyfriend for the first time in weeks.

******************

Cordelia froze in the entrance to Giles' bedroom which she had commandeered for her uses.

She saw Willow's light touch and Doyle's almost imperceptible reaction. The slight widening of his pupils that she had thought was reserved for her. He smiled at the you witch and Cordelia ducked behind the doorframe, just out of view.

She shut her eyes tightly, a hand moving to the scar on her side. She felt as though it had started bleeding again. Pictures flashed through her mind, unpleasant memories.

There was a moment of silence and Willow said tentatively, in that shy-girl voice that Cordelia had learned to suspect. "Are you and Cordy..."

Doyle shook his head. "Me and 'Delia? Not in this lifetime."

Cordelia slunk back into her room just as Willow was suggesting some tea. She had never expected it to hurt this much. She didn't care about that silly little Irishman.... Or did she? She locked herself in Giles' room, lost in a sea of confusion.

(2)

She looked about the room. She had never really been in Giles' bedroom before. She noticed some pictures on a dresser. In the centre was the late Jenny Calendar. Beside it was the whole Scooby gang in the library smiling. Her eyes teared up when she looked at the third frame.

She picked it up, touching the glass gently. It was Oz with his arms around Willow's waist next to Xander kissing her neck playfully. She raised her hand, gently brushing her fingers against her neck. She sighed and put it back.

Without bothering to change, she lay on the bed and closed her eyes. Her side was throbbing painfully. The rhythmic pain finally lolled her to sleep.

********************

She looked out the window of Oz's car, searching for some sign of them, anything to prove that they were still alive. She didn't even know how long they had been driving anymore. Suddenly the van stopped.

"Why are we stopping?" She complained. In her mind's eye she could see her clutching his lifeless body as someone told her: 'he would have been fine if you'd gotten there a minute earlier.'

"This way." The young man beside her announced, sniffing the air.

"You can smell her? She doesn't even wear perfume!"

"She's afraid." He said calmly, turning the van into another alley.

Her eyes widened at the revolution. She swallowed carefully, for a moment she had forgotten that her companion wasn't completely human. "Is this like some residual werewolf thing because it's very disturbing."

His face remained expressionless but staying that way seemed like more of a strain than usual. "I really agree."

They pulled up in front of the old, burnt down factory. Cordelia jumped out before Oz could even turn off the motor.

Her heart beat hard in her chest as she pounded on a large metal door that was blocking her way. A thousand scenarios flashed through her mind, most involving finding her boyfriend dead. Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted, however, by Oz kicking the door open.

He sniffed the air and nodded his head towards the stairs. They nearly tumbled down in their hurry.

At the base they froze.

There was a bed in the basement and two people laid there kissing.

"Oh God," She heard herself gasp.

They turned to face her, the horror she felt reflected in their faces. She met Doyle's eyes for an instant before dashing back up the steps.

As she reached the top, she felt the rotting wood give beneath her weight.......

*******************

Cordelia was startled awake by a knock at the door. She tried to steady her breathing and her hand unconsciously moved to her scar again.

"Cordy?" Came a cautious voice.

"Buffy." She mumbled to herself and then more loudly. "Come in."

The Slayer cautiously opened the door and stepped in as if she expected to be jumped at any moment. She found Cordelia adjusting her hair in front of an ornate mirror.

"Cordy, we were wondering since you've been away so long we should get together and bond again. Just us girls. I was thinking maybe a slumber party in our dorm room."

Cordelia turned to face the blond. "A slumber party?"

"I know.... it's kinda High School but it could be fun. We" Buffy was pacing now.

"Just us girls?" The former cheerleader asked, glancing at the pictures out of the corner of her eyes. The Slayer nodded. "Great, let's go."

She grabbed a few thing and led the way out of the room. She nearly ran into Xander as she descended the stairs.

The young man was hanging onto the railing, starring into the living room. Willow and Doyle were facing each other on the couch, separated by various magickal items.

Willow was picking u each in turn and explaining it to the entranced Irishman.

Xander shook his head. "It's not right, he's taking advantage of her in a vulnerable state. Look, he's all over her with his pretty boy eyes and snotty accent. I bet he...."

Both Cordy and Buffy slapped him on one of his arms. He rubbed them, muttering to himself but he didn't voice anymore objections.

"Coming Willow?" Buffy called.

The young witch looked up from her discussion, seemingly startled by the knowledge that there was someone else in the room.

She stumbled to her feet, never taking her eyes off Doyle as she headed for the door.

"Bye Doyle."

"Bye sweet." He answered with a smile. He then turned towards Cordelia. "You take care of yourself princess. Be sure to call me tonight; Angel ain't paying me for nothing."

He waited a moment for the gibe about Angel always paying him for nothing but it never came. The women left the apartment and he glanced around him. Spike and Xander just watched him warily.

"So, what do we do?"

He heard a sound and a cat jumped up on his lap and started to purr. He sighed. It was going to be a long night.

****************

Cordelia tried to get her slice of pizza into her mouth before it could stain her silk pyjamas.

She was sitting on the floor of Buffy and Willow's dorm room. Willow sat next to her in what looked like a giant cotton sweater picking the anchovies, pineapple and olives off her slice.

Buffy, in her tank top and boxers, didn't seem to notice them; she was focused on the door. It suddenly swung open and Anya, wearing nothing but her underwear, entered.

She sat down next to Buffy as she pulled on her thin nightgown. "Alright, I did it. What do I get? A prize? Points?"

"You get to ask the next question." Willow informed her, chewing on her pizza thoughtfully.

The ex-demon seemed to think about this for a moment then nodded. "Oh, ok, Cordelia, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How often have you had sexual intercourse and with whom?"

"Never, no one.... I'm a virgin, ok?"

The three other young women stared at her, totally dumbstruck. They couldn't believe that Cordelia Chase, the most desired girl in Sunnydale High had never... She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and quickly changed the subject before more questions could follow.

"My turn. Willow, truth or dare."

"Oh, uh, truth... I guess."

"What do you think of Doyle?" she asked without a moment's thought.

Willow blushed and lowered her eyes. If she still had long hair she would have probably have hid her face in it. This brought a grin to her best friend's face.

"Come on Will, spill. We saw you making googly eyes. He's very much the hottie."

Willow smiled softly and pulled her crossed legs under her nightgown. "He's so sweet," she finally admitted. "He really listens, you know? His eyes are so intense and... Have you ever heard him talk? It's like music; I could listen to him forever. And tomorrow I'll be showing him around town. I think there might be something there, that we might..."

She never finished her sentence out of shock. Nobody moved, completely taken aback by the unexpected turn that events had taken.

Cordy had slapped her.

"I can't believe you're doing this to me again," She ranted as she pulled on some clothes, throwing the rest about the room in her search. "I always knew I couldn't trust you. Why can't you find your own guy for once instead of always stealing mine?"

With that she stormed out and slammed the door behind her. The three remaining women stared at each other, unsure of how to react.

Anya finally broke the silence. "Why does she get to wear clothes?"

****************

"Hey! Turn that back. That's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I love that movie!"

Spike just grasped the remote control more tightly and glared at Xander. "You would."

Xander started to protest. Doyle just sighed. The bickering had been going on all night and he couldn't even get away from it. The cat, who didn't seem to belong to anyone in particular, had taken a liking to him. No matter what he did, he couldn't dislodge it. Just as he had that thought, the cat rubbed its head against his chest and purred.

He sighed again. "I wonder if the girls are having as much fun as we are."

Spike snorted. "Not bloody likely. They're probably trying to kill each other by now."

The two men turned towards the vampire, television completely forgotten for the moment. Spike propped his feet on the coffee table and took out a cigarette.

"That cat's not the only one who's crazy about you, mate." He finally announced between puffs of smoke.

"Why do they always go for the demon?" Xander mumbled to himself. "How are they better than Human beings?"

"Endurance." Spike quipped with a grin, releasing more smoke.

Doyle didn't pay any attention to them, he was starring at the cat on his lap. He tried to pry it off once more but it just purred.

"I had no idea," he said, finally managing to stand up and pace. "I only met them today.... usually it takes more wearing down then that."

"Not Willow and Buffy, Charlie, Willow and Cordelia. The little witch couldn't keep her eyes off you and Cordelia... if looks could kill." He somehow managed to whistle gravely. "One of them should be storming out right about... now."

Doyle glanced at him for a moment, unsure whether the demon was being serious or not. He suddenly clutched his head, overcome with pain.

He saw Cordelia walking down the street and... something else, following her. Without wasting another moment, he took off at a run.

Xander and Spike watched him go. Spike shook his head. "Lucky bastard."

******************

Doyle tried desperately to catch his breath as he finally stopped running at the entrance of Buffy and Willow's dorm room. He didn't even know how he had found it, at the moment, it didn't matter.

He started to knock frantically and barely managed to stop before knocking on the Slayer's face. She rose an eyebrow at him, arms crossed over her chest.

She didn't resist as he pushed past her. He froze. The room was in complete disarray, clothes thrown this way and that. Willow sat in the middle of it, wincing as she probed a bruise on her cheek.

Doyle kneeled in front of her, looking slightly concerned. "Are you all right, sweet?"

She nodded slightly but her eyes wouldn't meet his. "Why... why didn't you tell me that you and Cordy were..."

His voice was husky, he felt a lump in his throat. He gently rose Willow's chin. "I didn't know."

She cocked an eyebrow, obviously having trouble with that explanation. He started to pace.

"I've been pursuing 'Delia pretty much since the first time I saw her... she always rejected me so I never thought that she might... feel something."

He lowered his eyes so he didn't see Willow smile softly. After a moment he composed himself. "So where's 'Delia?"

"She stormed out." Anya stated calmly, busily filling her nails.

His eyes widened at that news. "Not to seem heroic or anything but we have to find her." At their looks he explained. "The bodyguard thing wasn't just for show. Something's after her."

`He felt a stake pressed into his hand and faced Buffy. "We'll split up." She explained.

The three of them were soon hurrying out, armed to teeth. Anya blew on her nails.

****************

Cordelia pulled her jacket around her more tightly. She looked at Sunnydale's various sites as she walked past them. Her elementary School, the park where she used to play as a girl, the espresso pump where she'd gone on her first date. The ruins of Sunnydale High.

She sighed, nothing had changed. Her home town, and everyone in it, was exactly how she had left it. For some reason that was extremely depressing.

The streets were so empty and silent that she could hear her own footsteps resounding on the pavement. She paused. There was another sound. It was a scraping sound, something the regular person would never recognize. But she was far from regular. She kicked off her shoes and ran away from the claws hitting the road behind her.

She could hear it approaching her. No matter how quickly she ran, it continued to get closer. She looked back for an instant and felt something tackle her to the ground.

She shrieked in terror until she realised that it was her pursuer that was holding her down, it was Doyle.

The clawed beast was laying on the ground ahead of her. It had obviously had been about to just her when Doyle had arrived. It glared at her, it's razor sharp teeth shining in the moonlight and jumped to its feet.

"You have been lucky, prophet, but your luck has run out." It hissed before charging her again.

It didn't even slow as Doyle shot arrow after arrow into it's chest. Cordy shrieked again and buried her face in the Irishman's shirt. She closed her eyes, readying herself for death. It never came.

She looked up to see the demon laying on the ground, an arrow piercing its eye.

Doyle helped her get to her feet but she was still shaky. Her legs felt as if they would give at any moment so he put an arm around her waist and led her to a bench.

She sat in silence, trying to catch her breath. The last moments continued to flash through her mind in a confused manner. She rubbed her forehead and groaned. She still had trouble believing she was still alive. If it hadn't been for....

"Doyle..." she whispered gently.

He smiled and raised the bag slung around his shoulder. "I found your shoes."

"You... saved my life."

He lowered his eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed. He carefully reached out and took her hand. After taking a few steadying breaths his deep, blue eyes meeting her dark ones. "'Delia, do ya think I had a choice? I couldn't live another day knowing that you were gone."

"You mean...?"

His only answer was to lean over and kiss her sweetly on the lips.

He released her after a moment and cleared his throat. "Maybe we should let the others know that you're alright."

She smiled, playing with his hair gently. She tilted her head to the side. "That can wait." She kissed him again, forgetting everything around her. She smiled to herself, this was how it should be, how it was always meant to be. There was no place like home.

FIN