The Adventures Of Cordelia Chase and Xander Lavelle Harris vol.1: She's Back

4. The Explanation

Anya Jenkins came up to her.

"Not to badger or anything, but why are you here?"

The former Cordette leader sat up in bed. She winced a tiny bit, as she did so.

"I came to try my very hardest to help kill those creatures. I succeeded until a Hellbeast came after my car when I was on my way to this place."

"Hellbeast? What's a Hellbeast?" Xander wanted to know.

"You live on the Hellmouth, and you've never heard of a Hellbeast? Even Anya knows what a Hellbeast is, I bet. I mean, she was a Vengeance Demon for several centuries. She would know."

"You know what a Hellbeast is because...?" Anya prompted, eyebrows raised in interest and worry at the same time.

"I know what a Hellbeast is, because I was close to being attacked by one. I ended up in Pylea somehow."

"Pylea? Oh, God."

"What is Pylea?" Willow asked.

"Were you...?" Anya trailed off, unable to say it. She knew what Pylea was.

"I was made a slave until I had a vision. They made me their princess. Then the crew came to the rescue and they were caught. They were brought to me. Then we found out what those mangy, evil, damned to hell, demons were up to. They were going to cut my head off and sell it for market." She shivered at the thought.

"I'm sorry, Cordelia," Anya apologized to the Drama Queen of Sunnydale High.

"You weren't there, Anya. Why are you sorry?"

"I'm sorry for you, because you suffered. I'm even more sorry, because of the suffering you deal with on a daily basis."

"What can I do, Anya? It's not like I would send these visions to a vampire or human I know."

"If you wanted to, you could."

"Give them to Angel or Harm? No way. I know what will happen to him if he gets the visions. He'll suffer. I can't do that to him. I care about him. Plus, I know that she wouldn't want that. For Angel to suffer. I can guess what you guys are probably thinking. I don't love him. I love him in a friend way. We're just friends. And you know what? I can't love any other guy. My heart lies here. And until something happens between you guys, I'll be waiting in the wings for him."

"So, I'm forgiven?" Xander asked, surprised.

"Yes. Both of you. You two are truly forgiven."

She smiled at both of them.

Anya was silent. She couldn't believe what she had just said. She forgave Xander and Willow. She had even risked her own life to come here and help them. It was hard for her to believe that the Queen C of Sunnydale High had changed so much. She used to be the wicked bitch of Sunnydale. Now she was gentle, nice, caring, and compassionate towards others. Then she remembered Doyle. How painful his visions were. Recognition hit her. Doyle must have passed his visions down to her right before he died. If that was the case, then she understood. It made sense. She had changed because of the visions. When a vision hit, she felt the pain of the victims.