Cander (Cordy/Xander)

The Help

Cordelia Chase

It's a beautiful evening. I'm at my desk in the Hyperion grabbing my purse and jacket to leave. Doyle is by my desk. Angel is out watching over LA for monsters as usual.

"I'm going home early. I have something to do," I tell him, standing.

"Want some company?"

"Of course."

He has a crush on me, but hasn't said anything to me. Over the years, I have learned the signs of when men have a crush on me. And Doyle does. I'm surprised he hasn't asked me out yet.

Then a vision hits him and he grabs a hold of my desk with one hand, the other on his temple.

"Doyle!" I exclaim.

I grab his arm and sit him down in my chair. I then pick the shot glass up from the corner of my desk and open a bottom drawer to grab the bottle of Scotch to give to him when his vision ends. Which I do.

"What did you see?" I ask after he finishes the glass and sets it down.

"A battle against evil. Anyanka, Buffy, and some others fighting some things. Looks like they used to be vampires. They're living bones or something."

I immediately know who he's talking about. The Scoobies. A few of my friends. A few acquaintances. I mean, Buffy and I never saw eye to eye, Xander is my ex-boyfriend, Anya hates me for her transformation back into a human, Faith and I get along okay, Willow and I are as close as we can get to being friends, I've never met Dawn, Spike I hate for ruining the relationship I had with Xander before he captured Xander and Willow, and I heard of Andrew and what Potentials are. Andrew is a human buddy of Spike's from a few years ago. Potentials are girls Chosen to become Vampire Slayers when the present Slayer dies.

"Doyle, I have to go. You stay here. Help big and broody. I'm going to help out with the battle."

He looks at me.

"Be careful, Princess."

I smile.

"I always am."

I grab my purse and jacket from the floor and walk out.

Francis Doyle

I watch as the Princess leaves to go be a hero for her friends. I hope she'll be okay. I wouldn't want her to get hurt or killed. None of us would want that for her. But as she leaves, she's fearless. She seems like she's ready to die in battle if she has to. This is probably something she has always wanted to do. Another thing I don't know about her. 'It's like wrestling a tiger just to get to know her,' as I once told Angel. Yet, I have a crush on her. I'm afraid to ask her out, though. I don't know how to or if I should ever let her know what I am. Half Bracken Demon and half human. My face changes to all demon-y when I sneeze or if I really feel the need for extra strength in battle or something like that. I don't know how she would take it, given the comments she has said about demons. In so many words, she has said to me that she hates them.

Buffy Summers

It's a dark night in Sunnydale, California. We're in the living room in me and Dawn's house, when there's a knock at the door. I walk into the hallway and open it to see a brunette I haven't seen in about five years.