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Cordelia takes a walk in the park. Takes place some time after Sleep Tight. PG

Ice Cream
By Imzadi

It was a beautiful evening, warm and starry. A soft breeze blew the scent of blossoms from the trees across the sidewalk to where Cordelia strolled. She was glad she had left the Hyperion. Angel was sunk into the depths of misery, mourning the loss of his son. Of course she couldn't blame him, but she was beginning to worry about his sanity.

Wes was gone; no one knew what had happened to him after he had fled with Connor. She couldn't even admit to herself how much she missed him. Once upon a time she had been infatuated with him; even now she still cared. Was he dead or alive? It really didn't matter because if he ever came back, Angel would no doubt kill him.

Fred and Gunn were alternately pretending not to notice one another, so that Angel wouldn't feel bad, and reveling in their relationship. Cordelia couldn't take much more of it. Yes, Fred had been hiding in a cave for five years, but you'd think she could be more mature about her love affair with Gunn. It had hurt Wes terribly. That may have been part of the reason he had gone to pieces. She had to get away from all of them.

There was a street fair in the park. People were strolling and listening to the music coming from the bandstand: old fashioned music that brought visions of men in straw hats and striped blazers and girls in long dresses. She watched the people come and go and smiled.

A young couple, their backs to her, was walking toward an ice cream vendor. The girl had shining blonde hair and wore a yellow dress and white, rubber-soled, lace-up oxfords that screamed "Nurse" or, more likely, "Waitress." Her young man was dark haired and about the same size as she was, dressed in a coverall. He was probably an auto mechanic or some kind of repairman. Cordelia could read their body language and knew that they were enjoying the evening and each other's company.

As they approached the ice cream vendor, the young man reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. They stopped while he counted it once and then again. Then he walked up to the vendor and bought only one cone. Holding it in front of his companion, he let her take a lick and then teased her by pulling it away. He put it back, touched it to the tip of her nose, and licked it off. Then, after licking away any drips, he gave it to her. She offered him a bite, but he shook his head. As she turned to him a little, Cordelia could see that her uniform covered a small bulge in her abdomen; she was pregnant. Evidently they were older than she thought.

Cordelia followed them, stopping at the ice cream vendor and buying herself a cone. Then she followed them a little longer, watching as the young man protectively wrapped his arm around his lady's waist. She saw a gold band on his finger. They were married.

Young, poor, but full of hope. How sweet they were. She wished she could see their faces.

A few steps farther on, the girl finished the ice cream and handed the cone to her husband. He ate the cone and then stopped to kiss her. As they stood kissing under a streetlight, Cordelia saw their faces for the first time. No, it couldn't be! The waitress and her mechanic were the uptight cop Kate Lockley and the evil lawyer Lindsey McDonald. Or evidently the former uptight cop and evil lawyer. Now they were just a couple in love, married, and expecting a child. She heard a quiet giggle from Kate and a hearty laugh from Lindsey. Even the two of them were happy together.

Memories ran through her head: Xander, Wesley, Doyle, Groosalugg, Angel, even Lindsey with his guitar at Caritas. Who was there for her now? As Kate and Lindsey strolled off into the night, Cordelia sank onto a park bench and began to cry. Her ice cream cone fell to the ground unnoticed.

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