NOTE: Yet another "Cordyverse" story starring the lovely Cordelia
Chase-Gunn as, well, the lovely Cordelia Chase-Gunn.
For Dave, on the occasion of a (much) belated birthday. Enjoy.
*****
Soccer Mom
Don Bentley
"GO CHARLIE! WHOOO-HOOO! GO SERAPHIM! WHOOO-HOOO!"
Eleven year old centre Charles Gunn turned his head away from the sidelines where his mother shouted her encouragement. He didn't want her to see his smile as he and the rest of the Temple Beth-Shalom Seraphim ran out onto the soccer pitch. His best friend, Alex, slapped his shoulder before breaking off to cover goal, and gave him their private salute, a loose fist tap over the heart. Twice, once for each of them. They picked it from one of the old Star Trek series, their favourite, the one with Jennifer Aniston as the captain. Returning the salute, Charlie took his place and checked his forwards and his defence, the redoubtable Epstein twins, before nodding sagely to his crew and turning to face the opposition.
Cordelia Chase-Gunn, in her role as self appointed team cheerleader, kept up a lively flow of chatter as 'her son's' team squared off against their archrivals, the Pirates of Calvary Baptist Church.
While temperamentally and physically capable of maintaining a high level of verbal energy, with only the rarest slip into unintentional obscenity, throughout the entire hour long-
"GREAT SAVE ALEX! GOOD MOVES- JANEL, WATCH THAT ONE! PLAY THE BALL, SWEETHEART, NOT THE- GO SERAPHIM!"
-she soon wound it down a bit and left it to the rest of the parents to cheer and encourage as she took her usual spot beside the team coach, who looked over at her with a smile.
"Missed you last night."
"I'm sorry. Didn't you get my-"
"Yeah, I got it, no sweat. Saw the report. 'Gang on Glory,'" after a quick look around, the coach leaned in and whispered. "Niaid demons? How was it? William usually lets me know, but I haven't heard from him today."
"Shit! I'm sorry, he asked me to tell you. I sent him and Kerry into LA to pick up some Mountie, if you can believe that. I was supposed to tell you, sorry."
"Mountie- IVANA! THE GUY TO YOUR RIGHT! COVER HIM! What Mountie?"
"Some mulder from Vancouver. He's cleared. Coming in to meet about a case he's working. The 'deputy chief' says full guest treatment; he gets full guest treatment. My two best detectives playing tour guide."
Her not unsubtle emphasis on the words 'deputy chief' earned Cordelia a sharp look of disapproval.
"Sorry," she apologized hastily. "I, you know that we don't always see eye to eye. Had my squad's budget cut last month. I was hoping to add another detective. As it was I barely kept Seaborn."
"Not like your squad's the only one on the force. What about- GO CHARLES GO. YOUR LEFT. YOUR LEFT. IVANA! IVANA'S CLEAR- GO GIRL. YESSSS!"
They joined the Seraphim parents in screaming wildly as Ivana slipped the ball neatly in past the goalie.
One - nil Seraphim.
*****
"I'm off tonight. Want to come over?"
"Not working on a Saturday night?"
"The Projections call for a quiet couple of days. Stars aren't right or something. I glance at the synopsis, and have William read the rest. If he feels good about it I make plans."
"You made plans for tonight?"
"Yeah. Just now. You good to go?"
"You know me."
"Five by five," both women said in unison before breaking into laughter.
"Can I bring anything? Beer?"
"Bottle of wine."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Alex is having Charlie over for the night."
*****
Final score: 2-1 Seraphim.
Cordelia watched as Faith collected her band of elated warriors together for a quick wrap up and group cheer.
The kids broke up, and collected their gear before heading out for the post-game pizza. Cordelia was about to move in for Charlie and Alex when she heard Charlie's voice above the din as he shouted to Alex.
"AJ! Alex, it's AJ," grabbing Alex, Charlie pulled him free of their teammates, and together the two boys ran pell-mell across the grass towards the parking lot.
"Shit," she whispered while trying to catch Faith's eye.
AJ was Alex's sister. A tall slim girl of twelve with long brown hair, she was running towards her brother and his friend at speed, her arms open wide. Behind her, standing at the edge of the grass, was her mother.
"Faith?"
"Yeah?"
Cordelia just nodded towards the lone figure.
"She's a couple a' days early."
"You were expecting her?"
The sharp tone of surprise earned her another rebuke.
"Not again. It's been more than ten years and you're in no position to question her. Neither of us are."
"The Hell I'm not. I saw what she did to-"
"Not here and not now!"
"Good a time as-"
Faith grabbed Cordelia's shoulders and held tight, leaning in to whisper in a voice like finely honed steel
"You'll talk nice, and be pleasant to her. For Alex and AJ's sake, if nothing else. There are things you don't know. Trust me."
"I held him-"
"Things you don't know," Faith stared into her friend's eyes for a long moment.
"And you do?" Cordelia shot back bitterly.
"Some, yeah. But not all."
"Not- He was your Watcher!"
"Yeah, and she was his wife and the mother of his daughter," Faith released her grip on Cordelia.
"Do the math, Cordelia. If you want to know, if you really 'need' to know what happened you're going to have to talk to her," Faith's tone softened as she could see that some of what she was saying was getting through to her friend. "Talk with her."
"Not now, I.... Later."
"That's fine. No rush. They're moving back to Sunnydale. You'll have all the time you'll need."
Cordelia leaned into Faith, falling into a tight hug. She needed it. She suddenly craved the physical contact with someone who understood. Understood her, this town, this life.
Looking over Faith's shoulder at the lone woman standing beside the packed van, Cordelia thought that maybe.... That Anya needed a hug, too.
End