Rating: Um, PGness abounds
Spoilers:  None really, after "City of" though
Archive: Queen C Scribes, anywhere else too, just let me know :)
Summary:  Anya decides she owes Cordy
Feedback: Yes, please!  This is my first BTVS fanfic and I'd love to know
what you guys think,  anteros@juno.com
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy and others, I only use 'em
when I think no one's looking... kinda like my neighbor's pool <eg>
 

Anya took a deep breath before marching up the steps to the Angel Detective Agency, pausing at the front door she squinted slightly at the logo, "Oh, I get it."

She crinkled her nose and squared her shoulders, "I can do this. I -should- do this."  And with that said, she pushed open the door.  She glanced at the vampire currently lurking in the shadows, "Angel."  She acknowledged, somehow managing to sound both polite and dismissive at the same time, then quickly turned her attention to the reason she'd come, "Cordelia, I need to talk to you."

      Cordelia looked up from her Cosmo.  The last person she'd expected to see coming through those doors was Anya, though she -had- been one of the few people to make her last year of High School at least somewhat bearable.  The former vengeance demon had actually talked to her when all of her so-called life-long friends had abandoned her.  Still... wasn't she dating Xander now? "Uh, hi to you too..."

      Anya strode into the office and got straight to the point, "I want to buy Xander from you."

      "Excuse me? " Cordelia arched a perfect brow.

      Anya plopped down gracelessly into the couch near Cordy's desk, "I've become aware of a new feeling, and I'm pretty sure it's guilt.  I've been watching Oprah, and Dr. Laura agrees.  So what do you want for him?"

      Cordelia blinked, "You want to buy Xander from me?  Why?  It's not like I own him."

      Anya opened her mouth to argue, when Angel stepped forward and put a cup of coffee on Cordelia's desk.  "He brings you beverages?"  Anya asked, sounding completely shocked.

      "She likes coffee."  Angel said simply, stepping back, a small smile hovering on his lips.

      Cordelia shot him a grin, before looking back at Anya, "Does Xander know you're here?"

      "Why should I have told him?" The former demon looked confused. "This is between us."

      Just then Doyle slipped into the room, looking as if he'd just woken up despite the fact it was nearly 4 in the afternoon, he stopped short when he saw Anya, "New client?"  He shot Angel and Cordelia a questioning look.

      "We should be so lucky," The May Queen quipped, "This is Anya, from Sunnydale, she wants to buy a guy from me."

      "Oh?" Doyle raised an eyebrow, then shot Cordelia an endearing grin, "I hope ya know ya'd miss me if I were ta go Princess."

      "Him too?" Anya's eyes went wide, "He's not as cute as Angel," She looked him up and down, actually bringing a blush to the Irishman's face, "But his accent more than makes up for it."

      "Okay, as fun as this is," Cordelia cut in, "What did you mean about buying Xander?"

      With effort Anya dragged her attention away from comparing Angel and Doyle's merits, "I brought you jewelry.  That's a traditional gift.  Or I could give you something else.  What do you want?"

      "Am I missin' somethin' 'ere?"  Doyle piped up, wandering over to get himself a cup of coffee.

      "I'm having sex with her ex-boyfriend."  Anya clarified.

      Doyle started choking.

      Anya blinked, then proceeded to pound his back until he held up a hand signaling he was done.  "Well not right -now-, he's in Sunnydale." She pushed her hair from her face,  "But we have, 9 times."

      Cordelia's jaw dropped, but she recovered quickly, "Um, yeah, that's... well, ew, but I still don't see why you think you have to give me something."

      "Xander-pimp," Angel chuckled under his breath before getting kicked in the shin by his faithful gal-Friday.  He shot her an 'I'm-not-sorry-at-all' little boy's grin, but held his tongue.

      Anya gave a strange look at their antics, but explained, "I've come to realize that since I originally came to Sunnydale to avenge you and failed completely, in fact ended up with Xander myself, that I owe you something.  An appeasement or something."

      "I think Xander's worth a shiny nickel," Angel leaned down and whispered into Cordy's ear, causing Doyle to glare from across the room, he ignored him and added, "Take it.  We can buy gum."

      Cordelia swatted him away and tried not to laugh, she'd say one thing for her guys, they were loyal.  "Look Anya, you really don't need to give me anything.  I'm so over Xander Harris it's totally moot."

      Anya took a moment to mull that over, but finally decided to accept it, "All right."  She climbed to her feet and headed for the door, but then stopped and turned around, "Oh, then can I ask for a favor?"

      "Why stop at one?"  Cordy asked.

      "I only need one," Anya told her, missing the sarcasm entirely, "I need
to stay the night, my bus back doesn't leave until noon tomorrow."

      Deciding pounding her head on the desk wouldn't help, and explaining the bruise to her agent would be none too fun, Cordelia somehow managed to restrain herself.  She turned speculative eyes to Doyle, but then thought
better of it and sighed, "I suppose you can stay with me."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Later that night....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>

      "And then I said 'we should interlock' and-"

      Cordelia tried to tune her out, Anya had kept up a steady narrative of her adventures as a mortal since she'd agreed to let her stay with her.  The first ten minutes of which had actually been interesting.  Oh well, listening to Anya really wasn't really that bad.  She was getting all the gossip, plus Anya even kept track of who was wearing what.  Willow in leather pants, who would have guessed?

      "It's too bad you left Sunnydale," Anya went on, "All Buffy and Willow talk about is classes and slaying... it's really boring.  But your life here seems interesting."

      Cordy bit back a grin as she unlocked the door to her apartment, her guys Angel and Doyle had laid on the charm like nobody's business.  When Anya returned to Sunnydale all of her old friends were going to hear
about how Cordelia Chase worked with not one, but two gorgeous, attentive men.  Life was good.

      "Nice place," Anya exclaimed as she walked in, "So much better than Xander's basement."

      Cordy didn't even try to hide her grin at that, "Of course."

      Anya set her Gucci purse down and sat herself in the most comfortable chair in the living room, "You seem to be doing well, I had kind of assumed you'd be in a living hell what with Xander going unpunished and all."

      "Oh please, living hell, over Xander?"  Cordelia scoffed, checking her messages, grimacing when she had none.  "Uh, can I get you something?  I have Diet Coke, Fresca..."

      "Diet," Anya looked around the room curiously, "This really is a nice place.  You live alone?"

      Cordelia handed her a soda and sipped from her own, "Well, not exactly."

      "What do you mean?"  Anya tried to set her drink down on the high gloss mahogany coffee table, but something wouldn't let her.  She couldn't get her arm over the piece, "Hey!  What the-"

      "Oh, you need a coaster," Cordelia reached across from the couch and handed her one, "There you go."

      Anya frowned, but put the coaster down and then her drink.  "I don't understand."

      Suddenly Dennis materialized, just long enough to smile and wave, before he vanished again.  In the other room the stereo was flipped on and his favorite Peggy Lee CD began to play softly.

      Anya turned her eyes on Cordelia, "Three men?!  That's not fair!"

      "Well, what can I say?"  The cheerleader shrugged, smiling like a cat in the cream.  She went to the hall closet and gathered up a blanket and pillow for Anya, "Here you go, you should be all right on the couch.  It's comfy."

      Anya bounced a bit and nodded reluctantly, she then looked around the apartment again, avoiding eye contact.  "Say Cordelia?"

      "Yes?"

      "I'm glad you got over Xander's unfaithfulness, you know, without having his head explode or anything."

      "And no monkey hair?"  Cordelia's lips twitched slightly, "Yeah, I'm over him."

      "Good," Anya nodded, "Well, good night."

      "Night," Cordelia turned to head to her bedroom, but then looked back at the girl settling down on the couch.   Anya had come to Sunnydale in the name of all scorned women, had lost her powers and was now dating Xander Harris... how could she -not- feel sorry for her?  Actually, did the former demon even have any other friends?  Cordy thought about it, knowing Buffy and Willow they probably hadn't made her feel very welcome.
She frowned, especially Willow.  "Anya?"

      "Yes?"  She looked up, a slightly hopeful look on her face.

      Despite herself Cordy sighed, she'd always had a soft spot for losers.  "Before you go back tomorrow... want to go shopping?"

      "Can we go to Rodeo Drive?"  Anya's eyes lit up, "I still owe you a Xander-gift.  I have a credit card."

      Cordelia's face split in a huge grin, "Anya, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

FIN