The Brink Of Passion
by FemVamp

Cordelia Chase was sitting at her desk thinking about Detective Kate Lockley. Angel and Wesley were discussing the latest big bad to come to Los Angeles. Cordelia was only half-listening. Then again, Cordelia usually only half listened so nothing was new there.

Detective Lockley was a beautiful woman, Cordelia had to admit. But what scared Cordelia was that she was a woman. Cordelia liked men. She had always liked men.

Actually Cordy you like dorks.

Cordelia smiled. She had to admit her choices of men were weird to say the least. First there was Xander "King of Cretins, Zeppo extraordinaire" Harris. Then she had that brief and ultimately icky crush on Wesley, and finally the almost, relationship with Doyle. All dorks.

Maybe it's time I try women.

Cordelia was wondering where that thought came from when none other than Kate Lockley walked into the office. Cordelia couldn't help but stare at the woman.

Did I actually say, 'I'd of said yes.'

Would I have said yes?

"What can we do for you today, Detective?"

Cordelia was shaken out of her thoughts when Angel spoke to the detective. Cordelia watched the detective trying really hard to look bored.

"Actually I have a case you might be interested in."

Kate handed Angel a folder. Angel looked through the folder. Cordelia noticed that Wesley had the look of a kid who was about to be taken to the park. He was happy.

God, we are weird. We are all looking forward to this.

Cordelia couldn't help but admit that anything was better then sitting around doing nothing. Even facing some demon. Cordelia smiled.

Maybe I'll get to see Detective Lockley more often.

"So what do you think?" Detective Lockley asked Angel.

"From the information in the folder in looks like a Feral demon."

"A what?" Detective Lockley asked.

She's still not used to all this demon stuff. It's kinda cute in a way.

"Nasty sort of demon. Mean." Wesley said simply.

"And ugly." Cordelia added.

The group stared at Cordelia for a moment.

"Well, they are." Cordelia said realizing that it wasn't that she was wrong about Feral demons being ugly but that she actually knew what they were. "And yes I have seen one."

When the others simply nodded and went back to work, Cordelia shrugged and picked up a magazine and began to read it. She didn't notice when Angel and Wesley went down to Angel's bedroom to pick up supplies leaving Cordelia and Detective Lockley alone.

"Cordelia?"

"What?" Cordelia looked up, "Oh hi, Detective."

The detective smiled, "You know, you can call me Kate."

Cordelia smiled, "What's up, Kate?"

Cordelia noticed that Kate suddenly got nervous which made Cordelia nervous.

"I was just wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?"

Dinner? She's asking me out on a date. What should I say? I mean I did tell her 'I would have said yes,' didn't I?

"Sure. I'd like that." Cordelia smiled.

Kate was about to say something else when Angel and Wesley came back into the office. The conversation went back to the Feral demon and Cordelia went back to reading her magazine.

 

Cordelia stood in front of a mirror and admired herself. She had changed her outfit four times before she found this one in the back of her closet.

I wish I still had that walk-in closet I had at home.

It had been a long time since Cordelia had gone out on a serious date. Actually most dates she had gone out with on were anything but serious. They were just guys to pass the time with. Guys who would drool all over her and then expect something she had no intention of giving them.

Then you had to date Xander.

Cordelia shuddered at the memory. Not that she minded dating Xander. She actually liked the guy. She still liked the guy. Cordelia had forgiven him his little transgression a long time ago. She was shuddering at what happened after she had caught him and Willow kissing. Sometimes she still woke up screaming when she dreamt of the night she got a little too friendly with a metal pole.

Stop thinking of Xander, you're going on a date with Kate.

Cordelia still couldn't believe she was going on a date with a woman., and that she was so nervous about it. Cordelia never got nervous. She wasn't the getting nervous kind. She just did what she had to do and moved on.

This is different.

It was different. Not just because Kate was a woman, but because Kate was the first person she cared about since Doyle died.

Another bad thought.

Cordelia had loved Doyle. She really had, he was just in the wrong place in the wrong time in the scheme of Cordelia's life. Him dying had made Cordelia realize how much she truly cared about the half- demon.

 

No more thinking about what might have been, Cordelia. Time to think about what is. And what is, is that you are about to go on a date with Kate Lockley.

A few minutes later there was a knock on Cordelia's door. She ran out of the room and toward the door. Almost as a second thought she turned around.

"Dennis, be good. Detective Lockely doesn't know about you yet."

Cordelia heard a knock which was Dennis' s sign that he understood. Cordelia smiled at the empty room and then turned to open the door.

 

The date was going great. Cordelia couldn't believe how much fun she was having. And the fact that Kate looked great made things even more fun.

Hell, great nothing. She looks sexy.

The dress it brings out her eyes. Those beautiful eyes.

Kate and Cordelia spent the whole night talking. They talked about everything. It was the first time in a long time that Cordelia could talk openly about her life. Kate understood how Cordelia felt. Even with Angel and Wesley there was some holding back. She couldn't tell them that sometimes she was uncomfortable with the whole situation. She loved them. They were her family, but sometimes she wished she led a normal life.

"So that's when you moved to Los Angeles." Kate smiled at Cordelia.

"Yeah. I guess I wanted a new start, somewhere non-Hellmouth."

"I still can't get over this Hellmouth thing."

Cordelia shrugged, "Its kinda like living in a heavy gang area. You learn to deal."

"Yeah but you fought it."

"I didn't have much of a choice." Cordelia frowned, "Once I found out what really was happening I had to do something. "

"No, you didn't." Kate took Cordelia's hand, "You could have turned a blind eye, or denied the truth. You didn't HAVE to do anything, but you did."

Cordelia smiled as she looked into Kate's eyes. They sparkled in the candlelight. Cordelia felt her heart skip a beat. The words Kate had said meant a lot to her. They meant everything.

Cordelia and Kate continued to talk all the way through dinner. When it was over Kate insisted that she walk Cordelia back to her apartment.

"Do you want to come in?" Cordelia asked as they approached the door.

"Maybe another time. I have to get back to work." Kate said sadly.

"Oh ok."

Kate smiled, "I had a great time Cordy. The best time I've had in a long time."

"Me too." Cordelia smiled.

Cordelia was about to turn around and open the door when she felt Kate's lips on hers. Cordelia's first instinct was panic but that was quickly changed to something she couldn't identify. Then all thoughts stopped. For a brief moment there was nothing wrong with the world.

Kate pulled away and both women stared at each other for a moment. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Kate smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Cordelia Chase of Sunnydale"

Cordelia smiled back, "Tomorrow, Detective Lockley."

With that Kate turned around and walked away. Neither of them knew it, but as Kate left, both women where thinking the same thing.

I could fall in love with you.