Title: The Morning After

Author: Meagan

Summary: Sequel to "Reversal." Willow brings some news.

Spoilers: everything including the following rumor: When asked what was going to happen with Cordelia at the end of the season, Charisma Carpenter said something to the effect of, "Well, she's going to be dead and all that." ***Slight correction: Apparently (according to someone who heard the same story), what she *really* said was "*un*dead." The reporter just heard things incorrectly. This doesn't change anything as far as I'm concerned, but I did want to mention that.

Disclaimer: Of *course* they belong to someone else. I could never some up with characters like this.

Specifically, they belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, WB, and anyone else I forgot.

Rating: G, I think. Maybe PG for slightly adult situations. I'm not good at this rating thing.

Distribution: Please ask. I'm not too sure anyone would really want it, though.

Feedback: Um, sure. I'm not really a writer. I'm just trying to sort out what the voices in my head want me to do. There are just so *many* of them, telling me all sorts of different things, and I'm not sure which ones to listen to. Feedback would probably help. So would therapy, but I can't afford that right now, so I'll just try to keep on writing. The big question is this: Does anyone want to see any more of this?

Notes: Well, all feedback on "Reversal" said one thing: I can't leave these guys where I did last time. Yeah, it's short, but I'm not sure how to get where I want to go from here. I have to think things over a bit. I didn't mention this before, but "Reversal" was the second piece of fiction that I have ever written. I think this is number five. I'm pretty much a newbie at this. And it's been rainy all week, so I'm feeling melancholy. Proceed with caution.

Reversal 2: The Morning After

By Meagan

"Wake up, sleepy guys. I have news for you."

Mornings had never been high on Xander Harris' list of fun things to experience upon awakening. That is, until now, the morning after what he thought was to be the end of the world. Again.

Slowly, the events of the previous night filtered through his brain. Was Cordelia okay? With a jolt, he realized that was all he was concerned about. He didn't even care about if he himself would be escaping whatever dungeon he was stuck in or wonder whose chest and arms had been protecting him all night. The chest began to rumble beneath his ear. "Is she okay?"

Now he thought of something other than Cordy. What the hell was Angel's voice doing coming out of that chest? And why the hell was his reaction to just sigh and snuggle against that chest?

Willow smiled. These two made a very cute couple. She filed that information away for future reference.

"Yeah, she's fine. Wesley is watching her. Now he gets to see what it's like to have a thing for someone you've sworn to destroy." She focused her gaze on her childhood friend. "Sorry, Xander, but that guy has it bad." No reaction. It was as if he couldn't even hear her. Interesting.

"But you can't leave right now. I mean, the sun's out. There's no way for you to leave unless you want to go poof."

It was all she could do to resist stroking Xander's head. Now she knew why she always had a crush on him. He needed someone to take care of him. His own family sure wasn't doing the job. Her parents were so self-involved with their own lives that they paid no attention to her. Mothering him made her feel... needed. Now it looked like Angel was taking her place, at least for today. This realization didn't make her sad or scared like she would have expected -- like she did when the Faith thing blew up. It made her relieved. Angel clearly needed to be needed today. And Xander seemed to fill that role nicely. And judging from the snuggling going on, neither minded.

"How about I bring some stuff back? Snacks? He must be going through sugar withdrawals right about now."

Xander knew she was talking about him but not to him.

"That would be great."

Again, the rumbling Angel voice under his ear. Again, the desire to get closer to that voice.

The chest shifted. "Here's some money. Could you get something to read, too?"

"Sure. Be back in a jiffy."

Angel watched her leave, wondering if she was going to run back and tell the others what she had found. Then again, he recognized that look in her eye. It reminded him of the manner in which Spike handled Drusilla. Protective. That's the word. If he did anything to hurt Xander, he would very quickly find out just how familiar sweet little Willow was with concepts of torture. He had no doubt she had no qualms about personally exacting a vicious revenge, especially after the Faith thing.

And Giles would no doubt help if Willow ran out of ideas. He was clearly fond of the redhead, and then there were the unresolved issues from the whole Acathla mess. He would probably enjoy tormenting Angel. A nice round of closure.

"Is this real?" A soft voice broke into his reverie. "Is Cordy okay?"

Sighing, Angel shifted his attention to the human in his arms. "Sort of."

Clearly not the right response. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

So many options. So little time to sort through which would be the best. Let's try the truth. "She was going to die, Xander. You asked me to do something. I didn't know what to do. I did the only thing I could think of. I changed her. Made her a demon like me. Then I took her back to the mansion. I called Giles. He and Willow took over from there -- did the soul restoration thing, I guess, since Willow said so."

"You guess? Why didn't you stay with her and make sure she was okay?"

Angel winced at the accusatory tone in Xander's voice. "I stayed there until Giles got there. Well, Giles and Willow. Those two can handle anything. They lived through... last spring." Bad memories there. Gloss over them. Get to today so tomorrow can arrive. He noticed an errant lock of hair falling in Xander's eye. Gently, Angel brushed it away. "You're the one I left alone. So I came back to make sure you were okay. I'm glad I did." There. It was out in the open. Now let's see if Xander notices. And understands.

Xander pulled away, sitting upright for the first time since collapsing the night before, and facing Angel for the first time since... when? The confrontation in the hospital during Angelus's second reign of terror? Was he going to stand? Break into tears? Run? Pull out a hidden stake? All was forgotten when brown eyes met browner eyes, slender fingers met soft hair.

"So am I."

~~~ the end ~~~