Title: A Mother's Love
Author: Anne
Rating: NC17 Disclaimers: I wish but no ATS does not belong to me
Dedication: To all the wonderful authors that have been posting on this board- you all amaze me and make be smile (well some of you angsters make me cry- but I'm still having fun)
Spoilers: Daddy- and a borrowing heavily from all the specualation of posters as to what will happen to the 'baby'. Some of you may know that I'm not a big fan of the baby on ATS, but I will tell you- there are NO major character deaths in this- and to me until Joss makes it otherwise- Connor is a major one -
Comments: This story is pretty much complete so the weirdness of RL permitting posts will come fairly frequently- Oh, it's VERY long. So, those of you that don't like long fics and I understand- be warned or just don't read. as always feedback is appreciated.Chapter 13
Wesley was pacing and mumbling to himself. Fred kept glancing up; her glasses perched on the end of her nose. Her expression expectant and anxious, her fingers poised over the keyboard. She was waiting. She knew that Wesley would have an ‘Eureka’ moment, he always did, she just needed to be patient and when he did, she would find what else he needed to make the moment a “Eureka’ solution. Sometimes, she was still amazed how Wesley and her mind clicked. He always was the first to figure out what she was babbling about, figuring out the information she was trying to impart. Just as she always seemed to know where his investigations or research was heading. Only this time, she didn’t know- she didn’t know because Wesley didn’t know- and that made her anxious.
“Angel? Where’s Angel?” Wesley stopped suddenly.
“Wesley.”
“Good. Good.” He nodded at the appearance of Angel and Cordelia. It didn’t even register that the couple was still holding hands. It did with Fred though. The young woman smiled. She was grateful; she really hadn’t wanted to get really mad at Angel.
“Angel, Skip said that Cordelia was a beacon that led the evil to Connor.” Wesley started moving again, not even looking at the vampire. Not knowing that his statement had caused Cordelia to cringe and Angel to pull her closer.
“Her scent or her soul….What exactly did he say? What did he say about Connor’s soul? What?” Stopping suddenly to stand in front of the vampire, his peering eyes intense through the lenses.
“Connor’s soul was more than that of an innocent human, it was pure and a warrior’s soul.” Angel could feel Cordelia’s agitation at the statement.
“He’s four years old for godsake.’ She mumbled for only Angel to hear. His thumb caressed her clinched hand, trying to give comfort and reassurance.
Wesley’s head jerked up and down. “And Cordy’s?”
“Cordelia’s soul is almost as strong as Connor’s. He said she could have been a warrior.”
“He said pure.” Cordelia shrugged not knowing why it was important or if it was even true, but knowing that Wesley needed as accurate information as possible. She learned that the hard way. Not giving him complete or misinterpreted information about her visions had led to deaths.
“Strong or pure? Which did he say?” Wesley demanded.
Angel thought back. “Pure.”
“That’s what Skip said when he was here.” Fred confirmed.
“Yes, quite right Fred. Thank you.”
Fred smiled and got ready. Wesley had that look in his eyes. He was on specific path. “There was no information of a 7th Dimension, per se. But there was a lot on the 7th level of hell. Fred.”
Fred took the cue. “The 7th level hell is the lowest level. In traditional religious terms, it is the closest to the residence of Satan. On a more general, universal definition- it’s the place where the most evil of the evil are contained. It is populated by the scourgiest of the all of the scourges of humanity. Angelus,” Fred looked at Angel apologetically, but she needed them to understand, “was a choir boy in comparison.”
“Thank you Fred. Taking that information and what we know from practical experience as well as what we’ve learned. That level of hell is just another dimension.”
“But…” Wesley glanced at Cordelia, clearly annoyed by her interruption. But he stayed quiet waiting for her comment.
“Dimensions are alternate places. Plyea, Mythos, they all had communities…a life. How can a place of pure evil have that and what does that have to do what with Skip told Angel?”
Wesley took off his glasses. “Cordelia you said that the demon or evil couldn’t leave that dimension or at least not at first, correct.”
Cordelia nodded. “It didn’t have a key or portal I guess, except me.”
“Cordelia you aren’t a key to an evil dimension. I don’t believe that there is a ‘key’ or portal to this place, I believe that because I don’t believe that it was designed to have an exit. Entrance maybe but exit no. It’s a prison dimension.”
Cordelia bent over as if someone sucked her in the stomach. “Son of bitches.” She yelled to the ground. Angel looked at Cordelia as she pulled away.
“Cordy?”
Cordelia staggered back, her head raising the rage evident on her face. “They did it on purpose. They put the demon in that prison and then gave it the key to get out-me, just so I would bring Connor to them. Skip all so, let me do it, stay, Angel will never need to know about the choice you would have made. He couldn’t,” Cordelia glared at Angel. “They just couldn’t take Connor, you or I had to give him to them. They gave me the vision so I would think it was the only way. And this other vision- you and I are here, where’s Connor- with them. Do you have a way back to Mythos ….I don’t. As anyone ever seen this evil, no, that’s because it’s still trapped in the prison dimension.”
“Cordelia,” Wesley placed his hands on her shoulder. “You’re only partially right, I speculate. Yes, the prison dimension has to be a device of the Powers. And yes, I think that the vision was a means to get Connor to them. But, I don’t believe that they expected the demon would ever be able to escape- not now. The demon’s reaction to your presence was unexpected. Skip probably would have taken the baby as soon as they realized what had happened, whether you agreed or not.”
“How do we even know that the evil exists? They are so vague and misleading about everything. I mean look what they’ve done to Angel. Letting him believe that Angelus is just around the corner if he even smiles. They lie to get what they want.”
“Hold on…Now, what are you talking about?”
“Your soul, stupid. It’s anchored. Has been for a while. They just didn’t tell you. Wanted you to remain on the everlasting guilt trip. I told them that you would still be broody even if you knew. But, no….”
“My soul is permanent?”
“Duh, did Angelus appear when you held Connor for the first time.”
“Um, Cordy- Holtz was there. Not a happy time.” Gunn interjected. “And no sex.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Sex wasn’t the B all to end all, no matter the wonder of Miss likes to slay. Sex is a red herring. Angel knows that.”
“Cordy.”
She rolled her eyes. “Angel, you may have been having ‘bad’ time, but did you really want to lose your soul with Darla. Or even if you had been that desperate, you had to know that you wouldn’t. You’ve had sex with a soul before Buffy, furies ring a bell, no soul loss. Which brings us back to the other three-letter word, ‘joy’. Cordelia’s tone softened, her eyes wide. “Late at night when you stared into those gorgeous eyes, his tiny hand grabbing your finger, trusting you, adoring you. No joy, then, uh? You can’t tell me that doing the pelvic with Buffy was better than that.” It took Angel a moment to realize that she was talking about Connor. The gorgeous eyes threw him off. She was right. Whether it was the joy he experienced over waffles with Cordelia, knowing she was safe and looking into her gorgeous eyes or seeing his son, holding and playing with him. He had felt true joy.
“How long have you known?”
“Two weeks, three years? Zelda let it slip during one of our early ‘discussions’. Believe me, you were still in the definite ‘no-boner’ category up until I left.”
“And now?” Angel couldn’t help but ask. He wished he hadn’t when he heard the uncomfortable coughs, shuffling of feet and saw the bright red blush that took over Cordelia’s face.
“Right, yes, Angel’s soul is permanent, good news,” Wesley coughed again. “Back to the issue. Cordelia, your visions- are you ready to discount that the danger is not real?”
Cordelia ripped her eyes from Angel’s and thought back to the visions. “It was real,” dropping her head. For a moment there she had hoped that it was all just a plot of the Powers that way Connor would be safe.
“I agree and I think it will come here, soon. It may want Connor, but its Cordelia soul that it has targeted, probably because as Skip indicated her soul is similar to his. Because of that its attention was focused on the hotel, when she and Connor left it should have known, but it’s Angel’s scent that confused it. It would probably be similar to what he sensed from Connor, as he’s you son. So, when Angel left, Mortnublis followed….I don’t mean literally, of course but its tracking followed, and that’s when it not only had Angel, it found Cordelia- but Skip’s right, Mortnublis still may not have found Connor. And if they have closed off Mythos, then its only choice is to come here.”
“Between Angel and Cordelia, it will think Connor is here. The soul and the scent.” Fred jumped up and down. Wesley was amazing.
“Wesley, we already now that it is coming.” Angel glared.
“No, you just thought it would, Wesley is confirming it, explaining it.” Fred said.
Wesley blushed.
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Clap, Clap. Now…how do we defeat it?”
“We may not be able to. But…” Wesley held up his hands. “From the information that Lorne and Gunn have gathered I think we can at least contain it.”
Cordelia scrunched up her nose, then blinked and swayed. She let out a loud agonized scream as she fell to the ground. Angel swooped down cradling her in his arms, trying to calm the thrashing young woman.
Lorne blinked. “That could’ve been me.”
“Ass,” Gunn said in disgust running to Cordelia. Lorne shrugged and continued to the counter where the scotch and other liquids were situated.
“Cordy.” Whispering, Angel pulled her closer.
Cordelia gasped and pushed away from Angel. “It’s coming.”
“Princess.” Lorne held out some pills and bottled water.
“Thank you. What are you all staring at, you seen the act before.”
They hadn’t not like that, not with blood.
Wesley shoved a towel into Angel’s hand.
“Cordy.” Angel gently wiped away the blood that was trickling down her face.
Cordelia lifted her hand touching the stickiness dripping on her face. “Yuck and Ow. This is twice. I thought I had more time.”
Angel gulped. “When were you going to tell me?”
“That the visions were killing me….Never.” Cordelia struggled up grabbing the towel, water and pills heading for the downstairs bathroom.
“Someone, please remind me that the Powers are a force of good, please.” Gunn’s eyes and everyone else’s followed Cordelia.
“Wesley.”
“Angel, we have found two demons that best fit the one in Cordelia’s visions characteristics. One is the Batorzoid, its corporeal, crushes its victims wrapping its appendages around its victims. It can be killed. Decapitation, fire. The other is Closdius- gaseous, surrounding its victim choking and suffocating it; it’s a soul eater. It can’t be killed, but it can be captured. Gunn has already gotten over a dozen of the necessary orbs. So, if it’s corporeal, we do the standard slice and dice, if it’s gaseous, Fred and I will do the incantations. One way or another we will get rid of it.”
“I want it dead.”
“Of course, and hopefully if it thinks that you and Cordelia are Connor then it will solidify. Skip said that Connor was the only warrior strong enough to make it form. You and Cordelia should stay as near as possible to each other, we don’t want it to be confused by the soul and scent not being together.”
“One part of the bait team reporting for duty.” Cordelia smiled at Wesley. The blood had been wiped off, her face still pale, but her expression determined.
“Cordy.” Wesley started, taking his glasses in his hand. Wesley wished he could just tell the young woman to lie down, to rest, to remain living, but they needed her up and bait.
“Where, Wesley?” The smile never wavered. This was why she never told them what she had suspected, which the Oracles later confirmed. To do so would make her an invalid in their eyes; they would have never let her actively help. Angel would’ve stopped the training sessions immediately; probably put her in her own crib with safety locks right next to Connor.
Wesley nodded sharply putting his glasses back on. “I would suggest there,” he pointed to the middle of the lobby, near the round couch. “We will be surrounding the area each with several orbs. If it comes in gaseous, it will have to go past us to get to you, hopefully the incantations will stop it, but if not maybe it will threatened it sufficiently that it will have to take form.”
Angel picked up several weapons and placed them around the couch, he kept the sword in his hand. His eyes narrowed as Cordelia picked up her sword.
“Don’t start Angel.”
“When this is over we still have a lot to discuss.” Whispering angrily.
“This is all Skip’s fault he never should have told you guys and knowing him he probably was matter factually melodramatic and exaggerating.” Rolling her eyes.
“You…”
“Later. The blood stuff is probably just because of Mortnublis, Angel. It didn’t happen before and the globe takes away the pain. I’m fine.” She hissed.
“Cordelia, did you sense when it would come?” Wesley called from his position. Two orbs were on the floor by his feet, one was in his hand, an axe in the other.
Cordelia glanced around the lobby. She shrugged. “Soon..I…”
“Does anyone else notice that it’s cold?” Fred shivered.
“Incoming bad vibes entering the building. Definitely not Elvis.” Lorne clutched at the orb in his hand urging it to the black cloud that was seeping in from the cracks around the blocked windows.
“When it looks like it’s all the way in start the spell.” Wesley ordered.
Choking sounds drew everyone’s attention to Gunn. The black man was struggling against the mist surrounding him. The orb crashed to the ground as his hands went to his throat.
“Angel, Cordelia, stay.” Wesley ran to Gunn, a tumble of strange words coming from his mouth.
“I’m saying it’s in.” Lorne ran up to Wesley, beginning his own recitation, the words coming out in a singsong tune.
Fred moved closer to Angel and Cordelia. Her orbs held firmly in her hand.
“We can’t just stay here,” Cordelia said.
“Stay.” Angel said, the frustration clear in his tone.
The nightmare cloud wavered over Gunn, tendrils moving towards Wesley’s orb. The mist moved swiftly covering Wesley, black gaseous wings surrounded him. Wesley choked stilling repeating the words over and over again.
“Wesley.” Fred left her position, starting the spell.
Lorne moved closer urging the orb closer.
Gunn struggled up. Grabbing his axe. The gaseous wings almost seemed solid. He struck as Lorne shoved his orb into the mist.
A loud screech vibrated through out the lobby as Wesley was dropped, his orb crashing to the ground. Lorne was thrown back; he protected the orb with his arms and chest as he flew, falling to the ground.
Fred and Gunn circled the mist, chanting.
“Cordy.”
Cordelia nodded and moved with Angel towards the cloud. The black mist was phasing in and out of form. Parts would solidify then return to gas. It was traveling quickly towards Fred and Gunn.
The cloud shifted direction at Cordelia and Angel’s movement. It swirled, a low eerie shrill sounded, causing shivers down the approaching fighters. Angel waited and then struck as a solid appendage reached for him. Another loud wail. Cordelia sliced into the thickest part of the gas she could see.
“Everybody.” Wesley picked up another orb. Gunn, Fred and Lorne ran to where Cordelia and Angel were fighting. They encircled the combatants, raising the orbs and chanting in unison.
The cloud started to form a shape, it faltered as in indecision, as Cordelia stumbled and was pushed back, taking her further from Angel. The shape swirled into gas, reaching for the young woman.
“Angel, go to her. You have to stay close.”
Angel was already at Cordelia’s side picking her up.
The cloud stalled, forming into a solid shape. Graining large wings reached out to gather the couple in its embrace. Cordelia staggered and choked. It was as if the air had suddenly disappeared. A heavy weight seemed to crush her. Angel drew his sword back resisting the feeling that every bone in his arm was broken and struck widely. A piercing howl came from the demon; it’s solid form phasing in again, and then drifting back to gas, only to push forward the wings appearing again.
“It seems to be able to heal its self in the gaseous form,” whispered Wesley.
“Wonderful.” Lorne shook his head and held his orb higher. “Time to go back to home hell home, you obnoxious unwanted party crasher. We’d being having such a blast without you.”
Gunn and Fred joined Wesley and Lorne in closing the distance between them and the cloud.
Cordelia gasped at the air, gratefully. Angel’s sword thrust had given her the chance to break away from the creature’s embrace. She lifted her sword and pushed back into the mist, swinging at the expanding wings. Angel’s sword joined her strike. The wail was deafening. The mist drifted back, but instead of regrouping and going towards Cordelia and Angel again, tendrils were being pulled away from its mass, hovering and being dragged into the orbs that surrounded it.
The cloud decreased in mass and strength as parts of its being became trapped in the orbs. The balls blackened becoming ice-cold. “It’s not enough.” Wesley put his orb down. “Don’t let them break.” Grabbing another empty orb, Wesley started the incantations again. The others followed his direction.
The cloud moved toward the orbs that held its being. Angel and Cordelia ran to it. The cloud shifted again, the indecision again was apparent, self-preservation or destruction to the soul and scent. The gaseous cloud lurched towards the couple, solidifying once again; only the shape was smaller, weaker. But this time it had a head. The face was a thin thing, with gapping jaws and two fathomless dark holes for eyes. Angel swung his sword. No wail this time. Just silence as the head fell from its body.
Angel and Cordy stumbled up to the fallen body. It was solid, not black, but a pale gray, almost transparent, blue veins pushed up against the skin, and then darkened, the wings curled. Then suddenly dust.
“You did it.” Cordelia’s eyes were shining.
“We did it, we all did.” Angel hugged her to his side.
“Maybe.”
“UH.” Cordelia and Angel turned toward Wesley, their expression incredulous.
Wesley held up a darkened orb, the swirling of its contents obvious. “That,” he pointed to the dust. “ Maybe gone, but parts of it is in here. That’s not supposed to happen. The orb is supposed to be able to hold all of a Closdius demon. This is not what happened here.” Pointing to the darkened orbs. “Part of the Mortnublis is still alive.”
“Destroy them.”
“I don’t feel entirely comfortable about doing that. The demon seemed to be going for the orbs before it decided on attacking you. Bad choice. Because I believe that if these are broken it would have reconnected and gotten stronger.”
“Wesley is right.” Skip shimmered into the lobby. The large demon walked to the dust. “Not bad. We’ll take those.” Suddenly more demons shimmered behind Skip going to retrieve the orbs.
Angel held up his sword towards Skips throat. Cordelia ran up. “How’s Connor? Where is he?”
“Right now?” Ignoring Angel’s sword. “He’s in bed, Angelus is with him. The beast wouldn’t leave him. That thing can eat, do you know how much Cox meal I’ve had to buy.”
“Why isn’t he with you? He can come home now, the Mortnublis is dead.”
“Most of it is. I’m taking the rest back to the prison, in this state; the fire cells will hold it at least temporary. It will be sent back to the 7th dimension, once it’s been made secure again. Connor is staying in Mythos.”
“NO.”
Skip pushed at the blade digging into his throat, holding his hand up to stop his men from getting closer to the vampire.
“The Mortnublis wasn’t the only demon that was being held in the 7th dimension. Connor is still in danger.”
“I can protect him, we all can.”
Skip looked at the group of humans and Lorne. “Angel, it is gratifying that you finally realize that you need your friends and you did do well. But, the Powers won’t take the chance that you will fail the next time.” Skip waved. The other demons disappeared taking the orbs with them.
“Princess, are you coming? The tyke has been worried about you.”
Cordelia looked around the lobby, her eyes glancing at her friends finally resting on Angel. “Cordy?” Her eyes were once again guarded at his question.
She nodded to Skip. “Angel still has some time left with Connor,” her voice remaining steady.
Skip gave a deep sigh. “Yeah, and the Oracles want to talk to him and you. So lets go.”
“Not yet.” Shaking her head. She ran to Wesley. “I told Connor t hat you were really smart and talked funny. So write something smart and funny that I can take to him. Hurry up.” Wesley blinked, and turned away. Cordelia was leaving again and she wanted him to write something smart and funny. He didn’t know if he could.
Cordelia pushed him to the desk. Then turned to Fred. “I told him you were really, really smart.”
“You want me to right something smart?”
“No, I want you to write him a fairytale in math, like on your wall. But, give me the words so I can tell him what it means. And put in there that math is important, he doesn’t like it that much.”
“Math is important, it contains all the equations of the universe, Math is…”
“Tell him.”
“Oh.” Fred went to her computer.
“Gunn, can Connor have one of your games? And maybe write him something brave?”
“Brave?”
“I told him you were really brave.”
“Oh.” Gunn turned to Lorne. “How do you write something brave?”
The green demon shrugged.
“Lorne, unless the Powers send other seer, you will be getting my visions.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Okay.”
Lorne sighed. “If it’s my fate.”
“I can’t take your voice, but…”
“I’ll give the cutie pie a song.”
Cordelia smiled.
“Princess, the Oracles are waiting.”
“Connor deserves to know his uncles and aunt that saved him and are heroes like his dad.” She glared.
“Fine, hurry.”
“Whoa, the kid thinks we’re heroes.”
“I’m an aunt,” Fred smiled briefly, “Now, sh, I’ve got figure out the equation that explains how I saved the ‘heroes’ from giant bugs.”
Gunn rolled his eyes and went to get his favorite electronic game all the while trying to think of something profound and a brave to write.
Wesley crumbled up his third draft. Smart and funny? Wait. Cordelia only said he sounded funny. He pulled at another piece of paper and started to write.
Lorne wandered around humming several different tunes.
Cordelia watched it all. She would miss them.
“Cordelia. You and Connor are not staying in Mythos, you both belong here at home.”
Cordelia faced Angel’s growl. She yanked at his arm and pulled towards the stairs. She didn’t say anything until they were in Angel’s suite. “Angel, killing Skip won’t bring Connor here, if anything it would just cut off any access you have to your son. Go with it for now. You can’t wage war on the Powers. Things change. The Oracles want to talk to you. There still can be a way.”
“I won’t…”
“Fighting won’t win this battle, Angel. It won’t. They have Connor.”
Angel turned away. It was happening again. His dream was being destroyed. And again Cordelia was siding with its destruction. The anger was returning, urging him to strike out at Cordelia. He growled turning back to her.
Cordelia remained still, unflinching as the gold eyes of Angel’s demon flared in fury.
“Killing me won’t bring Connor back either.”
Angel steps faltered. His demon receded. Kill Cordy? He crushed her to his chest, burying his face in her hair. “I can’t lose you, too.”
Cordelia’s arms immediately went around Angel, pulling him as tight as she could against her. “You will never lose me and you haven’t lost Connor. We’ll find a way.”
Angel was lost in the naked promise in her wide eyes. He leaned down capturing her lips. Like a typical first kiss it started out tentative, soft, but quickly became something else. Angel pressed in further, his hand pushing on the small of Cordelia’s back, his lips moving, his tongue probing. With a small moan Cordelia opened her lips, her tongue meeting his. Cordelia moved in closer trying to merge into Angel’s strong body, her hands beginning to caress and pull at the sweater covering his back.
“Emhm,” Skip cleared his throat.
The lips slowed in their movement, only to still, then gently part. Cordelia dropped her head, resting her forehead against Angel’s chest. Angel’s hands slowly rubbed down her back, moving slightly away. Cordelia’s own hands traveled down the strong arms that were releasing her trying to keep the contact as long as possible. She bit her lip as she turned to face Skip.
“Time to go.”
Cordelia nodded. “Angel?”
Angel grabbed her hand intertwining their fingers. “Ready.”
Chapter 14
Wesley handed Cordelia a large envelope. “It’s all there. Give him our love.”
“Of course.”
“Cordy.”
“I love you too, Wes. I love all of you.” She lifted her hand in a small wave.
“Cordy isn’t coming back with Angel, is she?” Fred’s eyes filled with tears as she watched Angel and Cordelia go through the emerging portal.
“No.” Wesley turned wiping hard at his glasses.
“This ain’t right.” Gunn glared.
“There has to be another key in existence.”
“Wesley?”
“We had access to that dimension once.”
Fred nodded going back to her computer as Wesley reached for some books.
“Darts,” Gunn held out the objects to Lorne.
Lorne stared. Darts were a tad too macho and music-less to be his preferred way of wallowing in the blues. Lorne sighed and took the darts. He really wasn’t quite ready to leave the sad souls around him. Misery did like company. “Are we bonding?”
“Just throw.”
*********************
“Here.” Skip handed Cordelia a small disc. “Connor’s at home. I need to check and make sure that Mortnublis is secure. Your appointment with the Oracles is tomorrow.” Skip disappeared.
“No Corridor this time,” Cordelia pulled Angel’s hand around her, and held out the disc. Angel felt his body shake, he felt nauseous, the feeling went away as the dark walls shimmered out of sight and purple leaved trees and the dark blue swirling clouds of Mythos appeared.
“You okay? The first couple of times it can make you sick. I don’t know why the kids think it’s fun.” Looking at Angel.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Angel knew Cordelia wasn’t just asking about the manner of transportation. “Yes. I just want to see our son, right now.”
Cordelia gave a small smile.
*********************
“Cordy,” Cordelia was hugged by a diminutive version of Skip. “Hello, I’m Gertrude,” the suprisingly attractive demon stared at Angel. It was her expression and eyes, not the green and horns, Angel decided. “Cordy, you’re absolutely right, Connor is has handsome as his father.” Angel had to smile, was the green pretty demon saying the same about him, that he was attractive, but for the skin and lack of horns or a huge ring in his nose.
“Mommy.” Cordelia looked up as a blur of arms and legs came barreling down the stairs lurching itself towards her. A furry large Angelus came pounding down after the small boy. Only he didn’t lurch into anyone arms, he just went and sat in front of the hugging mother and son, purring loudly.
“He was very brave, but he was very worried.” Gertie smiled at Cordelia and Connor. “About both of you. We all were.” She glanced at Angel. “Well, time for me to get back to my own brats. Dinner is in the oven. Don’t worry Cordy, all you have to do is turn it off.”
“Thanks, Gertie,” Cordelia said over the tumble of words coming from her son.
“Hey, honey.” Cordelia put the small boy down. “You’ve gotten taller.”
“I wish.” Connor studied Angel. “I want to be as tall as you.”
“You will be, maybe taller.”
“Really.” Connor’s eyes brightened. “Uncle Skip said you had to go beat a really bad demon called a Mortnublis. Connor’s brow scrunched. “I couldn’t find it in my school books and Uncle Skip wouldn’t tell me anything about it, except that it was bad. He said I would learn about it when I was older. Why can’t I know now? How did you do it?” Adoration was clear on the young boy’s face.
Angel kept the smile on his face, submerging his wince. He hated that the Oracles and Skip had already told Connor that he was a prophesized warrior. Angel just had to be grateful that they hadn’t told Connor that the Mortnublis had been trying to kill him.
“Honey, you can’t learn everything at once, what would you do in school next year? Now, don’t you think that your daddy needs a hug before you pester him with questions.”
Angel looked up. He saw the same sentiments in Cordelia's eyes, not completely hidden by her smile or at least not to him. Angel took his cue from Cordelia. Angel would not let his anger at the Oracles effect Connor.
“He’s a hero.” Connor said.
“Hero’s need hugs too.”
“Is that true?” Questioning Angel.
“Definitely.”
Connor smiled and raised his arms as Angel bent down to engulf the small body in his arms. Connor squeezed tightly, and then pulled up. “What’s that?” He pointed to the brown envelope sticking out of Angel’s coat.
“It’s a present from Uncle Wesley, Gunn, Lorne and Aunt Fred.”
“A present for me? Gimme.” The small hands tugged at the envelope. Struggling to be released once he had it firmly in his grasp.
“I don’t know where he learned that behavior from.” Cordelia shook her head.
“I do.” Angel raised his brows at Cordelia.
“Hmmph.”
“Mommy?” Connor had pulled out several sheets of paper. “I can’t read all of the words.” Cordelia leaned down and took the one that Connor was struggling over.
“It’s Wesley’s.” Rolling her eyes towards Angel. “He’s writing to a four year old and he has to use five syllable words.”
“Five.” Connor held up his hand, five fingers spread. “I’m five.”
“Connor, your….”
“Five, I had a birthday while you were away. Skip said you wouldn’t know cuz of the time stuff between places. Mommy, Mommy…” Connor ran up to a stunned Cordelia. “It’s okay, I got a cake and presents. Aunt Gertie said we could have a party once the demon was dead.”
Angel felt like he had been gutted. He lost another year of his son’s life.
“We will have a party, the biggest party this damn place has every seen.” Cordelia said holding Connor tight when she finally found her voice. “Right, Angel.” She slightly pleaded with the vampire not to get angry in front of the boy.
Angel took a deep breath. “The biggest damn party.” He kneeled hugging both Cordelia and Connor.
“You said bad words.” Giggling.
“Whoops.” Cordelia gave Connor a quick kiss. “Connor, why don’t you go put your presents in your room. Daddy and I will go through them with you later and you can show us all your new stuff, too.”
“Okay. Come on Angelus.” The big beast slowly got to his feet, rubbed once against Cordelia then followed the little boy up the stairs.
Cordelia turned to Angel as soon as Connor was out of sight. “His birthday isn’t for several months. We were only gone for six hours tops. Two weeks- four years, six hours- five months maybe more, there’s no pattern. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not fair. Do something. Fix it.” Cordelia was getting more and more agitated.
Angel couldn’t respond, it didn’t make sense, he didn’t like it and he had no idea how to fix it. If he went back without Cordelia and Connor he could miss everything. Angel wanted to destroy something, but strangely Cordelia’s agitation gave him restraint. If he went on a rampage, then he couldn’t help her remain calm. And after all the times that she soothed him, encouraged him and was just there for him, it was his turn to try to do that for her. Angel just wasn’t sure he knew how.
“We’ll make the Oracles explain tomorrow.”
Cordelia blinked and clenched her jaw. Angel could tell she was resisting the urge to yell. He watched as she took a deep breath and nodded, her eyes wide. “Right, tomorrow.” Calming down. Her calmness lasted as long as it took for her to see Connor come back down the stairs dragging a large sword behind him. “Look what Uncle Skip gave me.” He tried to swing the sword up.
“Angel.” Cordelia’s knees gave out. Again, Angel heard her tell him to fix the unacceptable situation, this time not in words, but in the panicked look in her wide eyes.
Angel was at the steps taking the sword immediately. Connor scrunched up his face. “It’s mine.”
“I just want to see.” Angel said with a lot more calmness than he felt.
“Alright. Mommy, why are you on the floor. You’re not hurting again, are you?” He scrambled to Cordelia.
“No. Angel, do something. Other than that, though it may not be a bad idea.”
Angel glanced down at Cordelia. His first thought had been to kill Skip for giving his son a dangerous weapon.
“Connor,” Angel kneeled down to face the child. “This is a very important weapon. It needs to be displayed somewhere so that everyone can see how special it is. Why don’t we hang it up over the fireplace?”
“I won’t be able to reach it.”
“You will when you’re tall enough.”
“That’s not fair, Uncle Skip gave it to me.”
“You’re whining, Connor.”
“But, mommy, it’s mine.”
“And it will still be. Just up there.” Pointing to the spot Angel indicated. “Connor, it’s either that or I’m taking it away. This way you can still see it.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“In a heartbeat. So, thank your daddy for coming up with an acceptable compromise.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means thank your daddy and stop pouting or the sword is gone.” Cordelia said getting up, her tone offering no leniency.
“You’re mean.”
“Connor, don’t talk to your mother like that.”
“You’re mean too.” Connor ran back up the stairs.
“Welcome to the world of being a parent. “ Cordelia’s eyes followed the boy.
“Shouldn’t we…”
“No. He’ll be fine. He’ll throw a tantrum tell Angelus how horrible we are then get distracted with his other presents and by dinner time, he’ll have forgotten that he was ever angry. Unlike us, he can’t maintain his anger for very long.”
“Are you sure?”
“Angel, part of being a parent is having your child hate you. But, if you’re a good parent it only lasts for a moment.” Smiling at the confused expression on Angel’s face. “Angel, he knows I would never let him keep that sword, he was just testing, hoping. And thank you. I couldn’t think of anything but tossing it into the slime pit. This way, he’ll still have it, just won’t be able to get to it.”
“I did good?”
“You did very good. It just doesn’t feel that way right now, because you want his idolization for you to never waiver. But giving in to him is not the way to keep it.”
“Now what?” Angel still wasn’t sure, but Cordelia was calm and smiling brightly at him, so maybe he did fix this particular crisis.
“If he’s not pouting too much, you could go up there and tell him how you defeated the evil demon. That should put the adoration back in his eyes. I’m going to check on Gertie’s dinner. Eww. I hope she thought about cleaning out the refrigerator. Five month old blood is gross.”
“Blood?”
“You need to eat. But I got the blood five months ago, give or take. Five months- how can five months have passed, we just went through the Corridor."
Angel nodded, relieved that Cordelia was remaining calm. He had different worries. "Cordy, about the blood.”
Cordelia cocked her brow.
“I don’t want to…”
“Angel, he knows you’re a vampire.”
“Still, he doesn’t have to see it.”
Cordelia sighed and then nodded going into the kitchen.
Chapter 15
Angel stood at the door. Connor was busy pushing the buttons on the electronic game.
Angel came in and sat on the floor next to the boy. “Can I help?”
“Do you know how it works?”
Angel was amazed. Cordelia had been right. The little boy had seemed to have already gotten over his anger at them. “Gunn taught me.”
Connor studied the vampire then handed the game to Angel. Connor was amazingly quick on understanding Angel’s instructions.
Pretty soon, they both were intently shooting invading space ships from the sky.
“I won.” Connor squealed.
“I never win.” Angel grumbled.
Connor giggled, then turned to Angel. “Was the demon bigger than the dragon?”
“Much bigger.” Angel learned his lesson.
“Wow.”
“It had these big bat wings that could squeeze you really tight.”
“And you killed it.”
“I had help.”
“Mommy says that heroes even need help.”
“Sure do. Just like they get scared and need hugs.”
“They don’t always have to kiss the princess do they. Girls are icky.”
“Your mommy isn’t icky.”
Connor scrunched up his face trying to figure out why his mom wasn’t icky even though she was a girl. His face brightened. “She’s mommy, moms aren’t icky.” He was satisfied with that distinction. “Did you have to kiss the princess? Mommy said she was pretty stupid always getting into trouble- you had to save her all of the time. Stupid and icky.
Angel couldn’t help it, his own brow scrunched up. Cordelia said the princess was stupid and icky? “Did you’re mom say I ever kissed the Princess?”
“Well, she said the princess was always trying to kiss you after you saved her. Yuk. When I’m a hero, I’m not kissing any icky girl.”
“Oh.” Angel tried to remember one incident that Cordelia tried to kiss him after he saved her. He remembered a couple of hugs, lots of beautiful smiles and waffles, but he couldn’t remember her ever trying to kiss him. Unfortunately.
“So, did you?”
“Um, once.” Angel thought back to holding and kissing Cordelia in his suite. He hadn’t actually saved her, but he did kiss her.
“Eww. You kissed Princess Buffy.”
“What? Princess who?”
“Buffy, the princess you always had to save.”
“Oh, her. Connor was your mommy ever in any of the stories that she told you.”
“Uhuh, but she never got into any trouble, she said she was always boringly safe and sound-just had the visions. That’s true, right mommy was never in any danger or anything, right? I mean when you killed the demon, mommy just….What did mommy do? Why did she have to go with you? She gets scared. I always have to hold her hand.” Connor scooted away. “Mommy wasn’t in any danger was she? She wasn’t right? Was she scared? Who held her hand? Why did she have to leave me? She’s not a hero, she’s just mommy.”
“Honey, of course I was safe. I just went because…. because of what I saw in a boring vision, that’s all. I wasn’t in any danger.”
Angel was grateful at Cordelia’s sudden appearance; he had no idea how to answer Connor’s increasingly panicked questions.
“How come? You couldn’t fight the demon, you’re not a hero.” Connor glared.
“I didn’t want to leave you, but I wasn’t in any danger. I wasn’t, cross my heart.”
Connor stared at Cordelia. His brow scrunched. Angel could see the thoughts processing in the little boy’s mind. Angel could sense Cordelia’s tension at where his thoughts were going.
Connor jumped up from the floor. “How come if swords are so scary, you have one? How come you train with Uncle Skip and the guards? You’re lying.” Connor pushed past Cordelia running out of the room.
“Angelus.” Cordelia pointed. The big beast followed Connor.
“What exactly did you tell him?” Cordelia’s voice tired.
“What exactly have you been telling him? Buffy? Since when did I ever save Buffy from dragons or jump into other dimensions to save her? Since when did she try to kiss me?”
Cordelia cocked her brow and sat on floor next to Angel. “You’ve saved Buffy plenty of times and she sure and hell kissed you before.”
“She wasn’t the Princess in any of those stories, you were, and you never tried to kiss me once.” Completely ignoring her statement about Buffy.
“Angel, what exactly are you mad at? That I told Connor that Buffy was a princess or that I never tried to kiss you?”
“She wasn’t the Princess.” Angel grumbled. He looked up. “Shouldn’t we go after Connor?”
“Angelus won’t let him out of the house.”
Angel nodded as he heard his small son trying to bully and threaten the big beast away from the door.
“Still, he’s mad at you. You lied. Why?”
“I took dramatic license, that’s all. Connor loves the fact that his father is a hero and fights monsters and demons. He doesn’t need a mother that does also. He needs to believe that I’m safe; that I won’t leave him like you had to- to save the helpless or die like Darla did. That’s all. I need to be boring, safe mom.”
“I want to be boring.” Angel said softly.
“I want you to be boring too,” Cordelia leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Come on, let’s go tell our son that his mother is a retired hero.”
“Retired?”
“Retired to be a boring safe mom. And tell him that you were the only Princess I’ve kissed or ever wanted to kiss, before he starts thinking I like to go around kissing icky girls.”
Chapter 16
“Stupid Angelus.” Connor was lying on the big cat. “He won’t let me out.”
“He’s a very smart beast.” Angel said.
The creature lifted his head towards the vampire as if he understood. It’s big head nudged at the small body straddling it. With an Hmmph, Connor moved off. The cat stood, it’s size dwarfing the small boy, and nudged at the boy, it’s head barely touching him. Hmmph, Connor said again as he scratched behind Angelus’ ears. Loud purrs vibrated through out the big beast. A large tongue came out a licked Connor’s face. “Eww.” Connor wiped his face against Angelus’ fur.
“Time to go outside, Angelus.” The beast nodded as Cordelia opened the door.
Connor turned to glare at his mother. “You lied. You said lying was bad.”
“Connor, come with me.” Angel held out his hand.
“She lied.”
“Connor.”
“Yes, sir.” He put his smaller hand into Angel’s larger one.
“Now, we’re going to have a man to man talk while your mother gets dinner ready.”
“Um, Angel.” Cordelia glared. A boring mom she maybe, but she was not the little woman that could be regulated to the kitchen.
“Please.” Angel pleaded with her to just do what he said without arguing.
“Hmmph.”
Angel shook his head and sat on the couch, placing Connor beside him.
“Your mother didn’t lie. She is a boring mom that gets scared of swords and demons. But,” he added, as Connor was about to protest.
“She was a hero, before you came along. She knew that my duty was to remain a warrior and save the helpless for the Powers. She also knew it was very important that one of us stay with you. We talked about it and we decided that she would retire and become a boring mom. That way I would know that you were loved and taken care of while I continued to fight. She didn’t tell you because she has put that part of her life behind her and she’s very modest, too much so about how strong and courageous she is, even when she’s scared. She came with me to fight the demon, because I needed her help, but that won’t happen again, because her place is with you. And there was danger, but she was very brave even though she was scared.”
“She won’t leave me again?”
“She won’t leave you.”
“You will.”
“I don’t want to.” Angel hugged Connor. “I love you both very much, this is where I want to be.”
Connor pushed up and looked at Angel trying to decide something, his gaze almost a glare.
“What is it, Connor?”
“Mommy said that you loved Darla, not her. Was that because she was a hero, like you? But, mommy was a hero too, you just said so.”
“Mommy told you that Darla was your real mother and that she died protecting you didn’t she?”
Connor nodded.
“Darla did give birth to you, and she did die to save you. For that she was a hero. And I did have very strong feelings for her.”
“You loved her, but not mommy. How come you don’t love mommy?” His intense gaze was definitely a glare.
Connor obviously wanted Angel to love Cordelia. That was the easy part to explain, Angel’s relationship with Darla was the hard part. Angel didn’t want Connor to know the complete truth of his conception. Cordelia had been right to let Connor believe the best. Angel decided to take the hard part first.
“Darla and I knew each other for a very long time. And we felt many things for each other at various times through out that history. Some good, some bad. And you were the best part. And for that I will always be grateful to her and love her. But, Cordy is your mother and I love her as much as you love her.”
“Does mommy know that you love her? She said you didn’t.” Connor was still doubtful.
“You’re mother is a beautiful…” He stopped as Connor’s brow scrunched up. “She’s not icky, like other girls.” Connor’s brow cleared and nodded. “But she’s also silly sometimes.” Again Connor nodded. “Do you believe I had to tell her, how silly is that?”
Connor scrunched up his face again. “Mommy says you should always tell someone when you love them.”
“She’s right. I guess I was the silly one for not telling her right away. Uh.”
“So, you told her?”
Angel’s eyes widened. He did, didn’t he? He told her, what? That it was his dream that they all be together. He kissed her. She had to know even if he didn’t say the actual words.
“You didn’t tell her.”
“I…”
Connor jumped off the couch, pulling at Angel’s hand. “Mommy, Daddy has something to tell you.” Dragging the vampire into the kitchen.
“What?” Cordelia still wasn’t pleased about being shooed into the kitchen.
“Daddy.” Connor pushed at the vampire.
“All right, stop it.” Angel grabbed the child’s hand.
Cordelia crossed her arms. “Any day now.”
“Um, Cordy- I’m sure you already know this…Connor stop that.” Angel looked down as the small boy kicked him.
“Say it already, I’m hungry.”
“Angel, what’s going on?”
“Fine. Cordy, I love you. Satisfied.” He glared at his son.
“Daddy loves you, mommy.”
“I heard.” Cordelia smiled at her son. “I love him, too.” Cordelia met Angel’s eyes. She squirmed a little at the intensity of his gaze. “Um, dinner.” She stumbled a little as she stepped back into the kitchen.
Connor dashed past her, sitting at the large wooden table in the middle of the room.
Angel came up behind Cordelia putting his arms around her waist pulling her back into his chest. “I do love you, Cordelia Chase.” He nuzzled into her throat.
She leaned in letting her weight settle onto his, her hand coming up to his. “Umhm.” She sighed, moving her neck giving Angel more room to place the small kisses.
“Eww.” Connor cried.
Angel lifted his eyes towards his son. “You’re mommy is not icky.”
“Gee, thanks.” Cordelia laughed pushing away.
“You were kissing her.” Connor’s nose was still scrunched, doubtful about the whole thing.
“Yep” Angel sat next to his son, taking a big helping of the stew that was on the table. “You’re mom did fib about something.”
“What?”
“She was the Princess that I saved from the dragon and the only princess I’ve ever kissed. She just isn’t icky.”
“Mommy, you said you weren’t a princess, you said that they always got into trouble, that you were too smart to be a princess.”
“I know,” Cordelia shook her head at Angel’s grin. “Here.” She filled Connor’s plate. “I get crowned once and had to be saved and I get the label as being a Princess forever. But, I wasn’t your typical princess, I just didn’t sit around and wait for your dad you save me, no I….” Cordelia scrunched up her brow. She really didn’t want to tell Connor or Angel about pilfering jewels or kissing Groo.
“Go on.” Angel asked. Angel was interested. Cordelia never told him what had happened to her while she was in the castle. All he knew was that she looked damn beautiful and… “Just how well did you get to know the Groosalugg before I defeated him.”
“Angel, Groo was a dragon that breathed fire, remember, not really something I could get to know.”
Angel scowled. 'Groo?' Something happened. Something must have happened that caused Cordelia to say she loved the 'Groo'. And she definitely was fidgeting now.
Cordelia ignored the vampire’s look and picked up the heavy goblet in front of Angel, she turned slightly while she poured blood into it from a pewter pitcher. “Here.” Pushing it towards the vampire.
Angel took the goblet. “I want to hear….”
Cordelia placed the pitcher down away from Connor. The boy had been watching his parent’s expressions intently going from one to another.
“While I was in the castle waiting for your slowpoke dad to finish saving Aunt Fred, I reunited Uncle Lorne’s head with his body, cut off an evil bad guy’s head that was going to kill all the slaves and then I freed all the slaves. That’s all.” She shot a look at Angel.
Connor’s eyes widened in excitement, “You chopped off a head.”
“He was a VERY evil bad guy and you’re a bloodthirsty little dork. Now eat your dinner.”
Angel wanted to hear more, but a discussion about Groosalugg or 'Groo' would have to wait until he and Cordelia were alone. They're just might be yelling involved and a lot of growling. Cordelia wasn’t telling him everything. Angel picked up the goblet bringing it to his lips. “Cordy?” Angel's annoyance evaporated, as he tasted the blood, shock had taken hold of him. He glanced at her, scrutinizing her until he saw it, the bandage on her wrist.
“Angel.” Cordelia said calmly. “Not now. Just finish your dinner.”
“YOU….I’m not hungry.” Storming from the table, his shock was replaced with an intense anger.
“Why’s daddy mad? He's not mad at you is he?”
“He’s just grumpy cuz he’s tired. Finish up, then it’s bath time.”
“Aww.”
“I think that means you’re done. Go on.”
“Shoot.”
“Connor.”
The small body came back into the kitchen.
“I’ll be checking so no just running water and getting your hands wet.”
“Shoot.”
Chapter 17
Cordelia took a deep breath and got up bringing the goblet with her.
“Angel, you have to eat.” She sat on the porch swing next to the vampire.
“How…I’m not drinking that.” Angrily pointing at the cup.
“Angel, you haven’t eaten in- what two days? And there isn’t a supply of livestock in this dimension. It’s vegetarian and they aren’t any human blood banks. If I had known about the time weirdness, I would have grabbed some blood from the hotel.”
“You said that you had stocked up- with what then- you?”
“Of course not, but I knew you were coming, I had time to order some lamb and cow blood from the Bugheriad demon. But that went bad. It’s been five months. Just drink this and tomorrow, I’ll place another order. It takes about a day though; he’s got to go a dimension that has cows and lambs. Meat and blood is a rare commodity. Sometimes, I think I would kill for a good hamburger.”
“I’ll wait.”
“Angel, you’re being stupid. Drink it.”
“Why the charade, why didn’t you just offer me your neck.” Angel growled.
“Would that make you eat? Fine. Here.” She drew her hair from her neck.
Angel growled his game face flickering. He could see her pulse, the blood flowing through the veins. He could smell it. It would be warm; it would be Cordelia’s. He wanted it. He needed to plunge his fangs in her neck. Angel growled and took the cup, draining it quickly, trying not to savor the taste.
“Gee, I don’t whether to be relieved or pissed.” Cordelia let her hair fall back in place.
“Don’t ever do that again.” Throwing the cup as far as he could.
Cordelia shook her head and got up. “Come on, time to check if our son washed behind his ears.” Holding out her hand.
Angel stared, still angry.
“Angel.”
He grunted and took her hand.
Chapter 18
“Daddy, will you tell me a story, only tell me the stuff mommy left out, like how she was a princess.” Giggling.
“I’ll leave you to your father and his tall tales.” Angel watched as Cordelia walked out of Connor’s bedroom. He wanted to go after her, he wanted to yell at her, and he just wanted her. Angel looked at the boy tugging at his arm. And he wanted his son.
Angel sighed. “Which one do you want to hear?”
“How many are there?”
“Connor, your mother has always been my princess, even when she was being extremely….silly. That’s your mom a silly hero princess.”
Connor looked up at Angel’s tone. “You’re not grumpy at her, are you?” The little boy was definitely not happy with that thought.
Angel shook his head and sighed again. “No. It’s hard too stay grumpy at your mother.”
Connor searched Angel’s face and then nodded, seemingly satisfied. “I know. What story are you going to tell?”
Angel stalled. This was harder than he thought. How did Cordelia make the danger they experienced entertaining and non-scary to a small child?
“There was big bad wolf.”
“A wolf?”
“A bad creature, bigger than Angelus. Its name was Lindsey; he was part of a pack of Wolves. Wolves that wanted to hurt me and they thought the best way was to attack the princess.” Angel wondered if Wolfram & Hart ever knew how right they had been.
“Mommy?”
Angel smiled down at his son, blocking out the sight of Cordelia in the hospital. “Yes.”
“They didn’t hurt her did they?” Connor’s voice started to quiver. Angel drew the boy closer. “I would never let them hurt her, but they did put her in a deep sleep with the help of an evil sorcerer named Vocah.”
“What did you do?” The little boy's eyes were wide.
So, Angel told Connor boy how he and Wesley fought the evil wolves and men to find the spell that counteracted the curse and banished the evil sorcerer to hell, scattering the wolves to the four corners of the earth. And how he had awoken the Princess with a kiss.
“Kissing again?” Connor scrunched his brow.
Angel shrugged. Cordelia wasn’t the only one that could take dramatic license. Kissing Cordelia gave the story a much better ending.
***************
Cordelia came out of the bathroom. “Didn’t scare him did you?”
“No.” Angel just stared. Cordelia was dressed for bed, her hair up in a ponytail. Her long legs showing under the baggy shorts and her arms bared by the sleeveless T-shirt. Angel’s eyes went to the bandaged. “Are you all right?”
Cordelia looked down. “Yes. Am I forgiven?”
“I don’t know, that was…”
“Necessary.”
“I could have…”
“Hardly, it had been two days since you ate. Tomorrow, I’ll order some blood that you can stand.”
“That’s not it and you know it.”
“Angel, its not like you’re going to go draining me, just because you had a taste of my blood. Geez.” Shifting from one foot to another at Angel’s intense stare. “I mean, you’ve had human blood before and haven’t gone all vampy.” Cordelia suddenly felt really unsure about her last statement.
Angel just stood. It wasn’t that he had tasted human blood, but that he tasted Cordelia’s. She had put herself out as his food. He couldn’t stand that. And he couldn’t stand that he wanted more, that the flavor of her essence was still teasing his taste buds. That it was more than food. It was her life and he wanted it, he wanted to possess all of her.
“Say something.” Angel’s silence and gaze was unnerving.
Angel finally spoke. “I won’t take any more of your blood.”
“Okay.” Cordelia nodded still nervous, Angel said that but he looked like he wanted to devour her.
“Where am I sleeping?”
“Uh,” Cordelia was now nervous and confused. It was a question, but it didn’t sound like a question.
“Where am I sleeping?” Angel repeated the question slowly and clearly as if he was explaining the computer game to Connor. Actually, even more slowly Connor was quicker in grasping the situation.
“I thought…um.” Cordelia stopped her hand from waving at the big bed in the room. “Um…there’s the guest room, I guess… or…” Her hand lifting again.
Angel’s lips cut off Cordelia’s next words, they weren’t in anyway tentative. They were forceful and demanding. It was not gentle in any fashion. And Cordelia couldn’t get enough of it. She wrapped her arms around the vampire, pressing and pulling at Angel. Cordelia lips moved, dragging along his cheek trying to catch her breath. Angel cupped her buttocks lifting Cordelia’s hips as he captured her lips again. Cordelia leaned in as her legs came up and around Angel’s waist, wrapping tightly. Cordelia’s hands tugged at Angel’s shirt, clutching and rubbing. Once Cordelia’s legs were securely around him, his hands moved up and down her back and side. He moved taking a step closer to the bed. Cordelia took a breath her lips settling on the underside of Angel’s chin, her hands moving even more frantically over Angel’s shirt. A low growl vibrated throughout Angel’s chest as her hands found his cool skin. In less than a second, Cordelia was on the bed, Angel’s body covering hers, Cordelia’s legs still wrapped tightly around him. Angel moved down Cordelia’s throat, licking and kissing at Cordelia’s speeding pulse. Her moan, vibrated in his ears.
Cordelia breathed in deeply, her hands never stopping. Her lips attached themselves again to Angel’s skin as she felt the muscles under her fingers tense.
“Angel,” she whimpered as he leaned up. She stared into his dark eyes. They were so black, so full of want. She tightened her legs, trying to bring him closer. Angel gaze left her face and went to her breast. His mouth moistened her tee shirt, as his hands found the way underneath. Cordelia moaned then jerked up as Angel pushed her away pulling down her shirt.
“Mommy?”
Angel and Cordelia sat up far apart. Cordelia’s hand went automatically to her lips then hair. “Honey?” Cordelia bit at her lips, trying to hide her frustration.
“I had a bad dream.”
Well that did it. “Baby, come here.” Holding out her arms. The little boy came running and jumped on the bed. He turned to Angel who had scooted even further. “Did you have a bad dream too?” Settling in between both Cordy and Angel.
“Uh uh.” Angel gulped, not at all sure what to say or do.
“We can all sleep together.” Cordelia cushioned the young boy against her chest. Angel glanced at his son settling into the position that Angel had been in only seconds ago. Angel wanted it back. He shook his head, being jealous of his own son was insane. He started as the bed shifted, titling.
“Angelus off. There’s not enough room.” Cordelia chided.
The big beast let out a growl and moved back to the floor, lying down beside the bed.
Well at least Angel didn’t have to share Cordelia with the big cat too. He settled down reaching for Cordelia, settling Connor between them. “Good night” kissing his son on the head.
“My hair.”
“What’s with that?”
“Geez, don’t know Daddy,” Cordelia reached out and ruffled Angel’s hair.
“Stop that.” The vampire pushed at her hand.
“Dorks, both of you, now go to sleep.”
“Mommy voice,” Connor whispered to Angel.
“I heard. We better go to sleep, then.”
“Hmmph.”
Chapter 19
Angel just stopped himself from jumping out of the bed and growling. He wasn’t being attacked. He was just being kicked in the stomach by a little foot.
“Whoops, sorry.” Connor looked at him with wide innocent eyes. Angel studied the small boy. Angel wasn’t fooled. “I take it you want me to get up.”
“Mommy still sleeping, she usually fixes breakfast.”
“I’m awake, how can I sleep with you two moving around like banshees?”
“Oh.” Connor scrunched up his face. “Maybe Daddy can fix me breakfast. Can you fix anything else other than waffles?” whispering to Angel.
“Ingrate.” Cordelia flopped her head back into the pillow.
“Um. Yes.” Angel laughed.
“Dork.” Cordelia threw the blanket over her head.
“Cordy, sleep. Come on, Connor.”
**********
“I’m sorry, Connor, but it looks like mommy and I have to do some grocery shopping.” Angel looked at the bare cupboards. “Connor, where were you staying, while mommy and I were away.”
“Uncle Skips at first, then the Zelda and Fritz took me too some place. I didn’t like it. It was yucky.”
“Yucky?”
“No fun. They don’t play and they wouldn’t tell where mommy was. It was just yucky. Though, they did let me have cake and presents on my birthday. They didn’t mind that I got a sword.”
“But, mommy and I do.”
“Hmmph. Waffles, again?”
Angel pulled at the frozen pastries from the freezer. “Yeah.”
“Don’t tell mommy, but she doesn’t cook all that great.”
Angel decided not to comment. “So, do you always get up this early?”
“I’ve got to go to school.”
“Skip said you had tutors.”
“Yeah, but it’s still school. Mommy says if I can’t go to regular school, I have to follow a schedule.”
“So, they come here.” Angel wanted to see what his child was learning outside of demons and swords.
“No. They won’t come here. Mommy made them mad. I’ve got to go to Uncle Skip’s. Bob and I do our subjects together.”
Angel pushed Connor behind him as a shape shimmered in front of them.
“Master Connor, you’re late.” The large grotesque demon’s tone was critical.
“Yes, sir.”
“So, you must be the father, the warrior.”
Angel swore that the demon was looking down his nose at Angel, if that beak could be called a nose.
“Yes.”
“Warriors, brawn no brains. Master Connor, it’s time to go.”
“Daddy, this S’Lasic, my music teacher.”
“Hello.” Angel wondered what would happen if he took Connor’s sword from above the mantle and gutted the condescending thing.
“Yes, well. Master Connor, you’re mother isn’t around, is she?”
Angel wanted to laugh. S’Lasic was scared. Angel would’ve loved to seen Cordelia tear into the pompous demon.
“She’ll be down in a second.” Angel grinned as the demon turned several shades of lighter gray.
“Master Connor, hurry. I don’t want to disturb M’lady.”
“Just a minute.” Connor took off up the stairs.
“M’lady?”
“She’s the future Khap-mah’s mother for that she gets the honor.” The demon pushed up his beak. His tone clearly indicating that was the only reason for the honor.
“Waffles?” Angel asked, really wishing he had a sword, maybe he could growl just a little. “Really, Cordy, I mean M’lady should be down in a moment. Don’t you want to give her your regards? I’ll go get her.” Angel couldn’t kill Connor’s teacher but he could take pleasure in making the demon squirm.
The demon flinched shaking his head. “As the master’s teacher, I should tell you that M’lady has been setting a bad example. Connor is becoming incorrigible always questioning authority. As his father, you should know he needs a firm hand. It is apparent that M’lady does not have the proper respect for the Master’s destiny.”
“Really? You sure you don’t want any waffles?” Angel wondered what S’Lasic would look like hanging from every multiple skinny, rubbery finger that graced the demon’s hand.
“I’m ready.” Connor came back into the kitchen, a brown envelope clutched in his hand.
“Connor?”
“I thought S’Lasic might be able to play Uncle Lorne’s song. Though, it’s pretty complicated.”
“Complicated, let me see that.” The demon held out a couple of his 10-inch wiggling elastic digits.
Connor drew a music sheet out of his envelope.
“Easy. Juvenile even. Hmmph. Uncle Lorne obviously only has a small talent.”
Connor rolled his eyes at Angel. “Daddy, I have a free period after demonology. Can you and mommy…”
“We’ll be there.”
“Bye.” Connor ran to Angel, hugging at his legs. Angel swooped the small boy in his arms. “Bye.”
“Spoiling him.” The demon said as he held out his hand.
Chapter 20
Angel sat on the bed, his fingers gently teasing at the arm Cordelia had thrown over a pillow.
“Who picked him up?”
“S’Lasic.”
“Eww. Squidy fingers.”
“I don’t like him.”
Cordelia sighed as Angel’s finger trailed up to her cheek. She moved into his caress, her eyes still shut. “I know, but he does play the most amazing Celestic harp.” She licked her lips as Angel’s other hand reached to her waist his fingers creeping under the material of her shirt.
“Angel.” She sighed. Angel leaned down and brushed her lips, his hand wide under her shirt, pushing and fondling at the under skin of her breast.
Cordelia leaned up pressing her lips and chest closer to Angel’s caresses. Angel bunched the shirt up, his hand cupping her full breast. Angel’s kisses and hands were slow, he wanted to feel and taste everything. Last night he had needed to possess Cordelia immediately, that was until their son showed up. Angel still wanted Cordelia with a passion that he never experienced but the delay had calmed him enough to remember that there was so much more to experience than that just possession.
Cordelia arched and stretched her body opening herself to Angel’s touch. A small sigh of pleasure escaped her throat. Cordelia was melting. She knew it. Angel’s hands were rubbing, pressing and molding at her flesh. She felt that she was a lump of clay and Angel the artist. He was molding her, creating something. His hands would still and she would feel his lips sealing the creation, approving of it. Then Cordelia would melt again, dissolving. And Angel would start all over again. Cordelia knew that soon she would be nothing but a warm, hot puddle, if she didn’t to something. She wiggled further into the mattress, her hands lifting to settle on Angel’s back. Cordelia couldn’t decide which was better, the feel of his broad back the way his muscles would jump as her finger caressed or the feel of his hand, its width and strength exploring her skin. She was just grateful that it wasn’t an either or type situation. Her eyes were still closed she didn’t want any distractions in her concentration. She focused on the cool flesh she was touching, the small movements under the skin. Somewhere, it registered that Angel was no longer wearing a shirt, she wasn’t sure how or when. But it didn’t matter she was only grateful that she hadn’t been disturbed by the disrobing. Her focus shifted to her own skin and the nerves that Angel isolated with his touch and lips. The nerves were more than just vibrating; they were burning, some gently, some furiously. At some point Cordelia forgot how to breathe, the need for air suddenly reminded her. She gasped then moaned as she felt her body covered not just with hands and lips, but a great weight. She was blanketed, the heaviness of the cool body felt wonderful. Cordelia had to see this. She smiled into Angel’s eyes. Cordelia could have kicked herself; she had missed so much keeping her eyes closed. She could’ve already been lost in those dark beautiful eyes. Just looking at all the love and passion in them increased her pleasure a thousand fold. Her hands moved beyond the broad muscles of the back down to the slight dip about the buttocks. She bit her lips as she felt the length of the cool hardness against her hip. That’s when she realized that she not only missed Angel taking off his shirt, but his complete disrobing- as well as hers. She giggled. “How’d you do that?”
A wicked smile appeared on the handsome face over her, the dark eye’s dancing. “Talent.”
“Jerk,” whispering against the lips that suddenly engulfed hers, her attempt to smack the broad back turned into a grabbing of skin as Angel’s hand caressed her inner thigh pushing it wide.
“How about necessity, then” his voice low and rough. He settled his hips over hers, the cool length of his erection begged entry.
“Necessity is good,” murmuring into his neck, her legs parting and gripping around his strong lean hips.
“Cordy,” demanding her gaze. Her eyes widened and she gulped as Angel filled her completely. Her legs and arms tightened as her inner muscles locked around him. Her need to keep him inside warred with the need for him to move.
Cordelia could feel Angel’s own war, he muscles tense. “Cordy.” Still demanding but also pleading. Cordelia relaxed her grip and pushed her hips, with a grateful groan Angel began to move, thrusting as Cordelia moved, the rhythm increasing. Cordelia could have kicked herself again for trying to delay this perfect dance, even for an instant. Her nerves were exploding; only it was an explosion that wouldn’t end it just got brighter, more powerful as Angel thrust harder and faster. Cordelia wondered if she should make him stop, otherwise she would splinter into a thousand pieces and she just didn’t see how it would be possible for her to put the pieces together again. She pushed harder, her breath ragged. “Angel. Oh god.” She clutched at him tighter. Maybe if she hung on to him, she wouldn’t lose the pieces once she exploded.
Angel cupped her buttocks bringing their bodies even closer, the rhythm gone from his thrust, now they were just frantic. Cordelia whimpered as moist kisses covered every inch of her face. Her hips moved under their own volition, fast and furious. Her body wanted to explode; it needed to explode. Cordelia cried out with a burst of air, as her body did just that. She clutched at Angel’s shuddering body, taking in his cry with her mouth. Cordelia wasn’t sure how that they did it, her nerves had shattered into fragments and Angel managed to bring back them back together, her body was whole again. Though she wasn’t at all sure about it’s solidity. She just knew she was a pool of melted nerve endings, but at least they were intact.
Cordelia tried to move her arms, but they wouldn’t budge, so she just leaned into the lips that were kissing her. She felt Angel shift; her body was now on top of his. Cordelia was impressed she still couldn’t move.
Her arms and legs fell to the sides, draping Angel. She looked up. Angel’s head followed still trying to keep their lips in contact.
“Breathe,” she murmured.
“Don’t “ Was the answering murmur.
“Me.”
“Oh.” Angel leaned back, releasing her lips, his hands never stopping their soft caressing over Cordelia’s back.
“Dork.” Nuzzling her head into Angel’s chest, kissing at the vibrations at Angel’s low chuckle.
Cordelia tested her ability to move. Her hand moved around to Angel’s chest, touching the areas that weren’t already covered by her torso and head.
“Can move again.” She smiled back into Angel’s chest, starting to kiss at the skin under his jaw, her lips and teeth making nipping motions, her hand still finding uncovered skin on his chest.
Angel groaned and leaned back his chin raising just enough to give Cordelia more skin to kiss. Not exactly kiss, more like biting and tasting. Angel felt his undead body become alive again. She couldn’t have any idea what she was doing. They both had just made love, very exhausting, very spectacular love. Cordelia needed to rest, Angel could tell by the way her body lay limply over his, in a wonderful warm cover. Her hand and mouth weren’t being persistent, just moving. It was like her smile all over again. Angel knew that Cordelia had no idea what that smile did to him, that its brightness caused his undead heart to beat, that it drove heat directly to his loins.
Angel started to tell her she needed to rest when the words got stuck in his throat. Cordelia’s hand had found his nipple. Her finger brushed it a couple times, stopping then going back. Angel looked down as her lips stopped their exploration of his neck. His hands had stilled on her back.
Angel watched as Cordelia first pushed her hair back from her face then rested her chin on his chest, her finger back on his nipple. Her expression was curious, intent as she watched the nipple harden as her finger circled it. Her nose scrunched up as she pushed at it, the dark nub sprang back up instantly. She flicked it, if possible the nipple got harder. Angel began to feel like he was part of an experiment, a pleasurable one, but still an experiment. Angel was about to say the same when again the words got stuck and his chest constricted. It seemed that touching wasn’t enough of a test; Cordelia had moved her head, her tongue wetting the nipple. Angel forced his body not to jerk when her teeth nipped the hard tip.
Her name came out of Angel’s lips as a grunt rather than an actual word.
Cordelia glanced up, her brow questioning. “Angel?”
Angel could watch her face all day. The questioning was now gone, replaced by surprise. Angel knew at that moment, Cordelia had felt his renewed arousal pressed up against her hip.
Angel wasn’t sure if he should be worried when her surprise switched to contemplation. She sat up her hip still pressed against his erection. Angel’s hands fell to his sides. Cordelia licked her lip in concentration. She reached down and touched the nipple again, this time brushing, gently twisting it. The light of discovery shone in her eyes as she felt Angel’s erection press further into her hip as a direct result of her action. Angel groaned as she giggled her hand reaching back for the nipple, while her other hand found its mate. She was like a kid that found a new toy. Angel knew he had to stop her, or rather he thought he knew he should to stop her. He had to stop her, his erection was beginning to strain and jump trying to get back where it knew it belonged. Penises really did have their own little brains. Angel let out a combination of a growl and a groan.
The sound stopped Cordelia. She studied his face and then smiled. One hand left the nipple it was tormenting to slide down to his stomach stopping briefly to press against the flat muscles. Groaning again, Angel couldn’t tell for sure but he was pretty sure that something wicked came into Cordelia’s mind as his stomach muscles clenched.
Angel had been right there was something definitely wicked in the smile. Cordelia left his stomach, caressing down to his groin. Angel’s hips jerked as her fingers found his erection. His shaft jumped into her hand. If it couldn’t get where it wanted to go, her hand was the next best thing. Angel growled. His penis’ brain was pretty single minded, just get wherever Cordy’s warmth could cover it. Angel’s curses came out as growls as Cordy’s fingers encircled his shaft, her thumb pressing at its base. Then she let go only to trace her finger from base to tip. Angel knew that he had to grab her hips and finish this or he was going to die in frustration. Angel seriously began to wonder if the young woman had any compassion for him, her teasing was relentless and Cordelia had to know now what she was doing.
Thank god. Maybe she wasn’t so heartless. Cordelia took his erection firmly in her hand and shifted her hips. Angel’s low growl intensified as she pressed down slowly encasing him. Relief overcame him as he became fully embedded in her warmth. Cordelia was a wonderful compassionate beautiful…Angel’s praises stopped. She hated him. There was no other explanation for the torture she was now doing. Cordelia slowly lifted her hips, taking away her warmth. Then she slowly returned only to leave again.
Angel didn’t beg, he had been tortured many times over the years and he DID NOT beg. “Please, Cordy.”
That’s it. She smiled at him. That knowing wicked smile. He had enough. Angel brought his hands up grabbing her hips and flipping them both. Cordelia laughed as he began to thrust into her hard and fast.
“You’re mean.” Angel groaned as he continued his powerful strokes. Cordelia laughed even harder as she held on to him moving fast to meet each of his thrusts. Their releases came quicker, but just as overwhelming as the first.
“I love you.” Cordelia smiled. Angel returned her smile with a kiss. Angel moved again, shifting them never breaking the kiss.
“Princess.” A voice drifted up from downstairs.
“Skip.” Cordelia pushed up at the vampire. “The Oracles. We’re supposed to meet with them.”
“Princess.” The voice was getting closer.
“Don’t demons knock in this dimension?” Angel sat up and watched as Cordelia scrambled around.
“What did you do with my clothes?” Looking up from under the bed.
Angel grinned.
“Angel.”
“Princess.” The voice was on the stairs.
Angel got up and went across the room, throwing Cordelia her T-shirt and shorts, while putting on his pants.
“How did they get all the way over there?”
Angel shrugged. “They were in my way.’
“Princess.” Skip stood in the doorway. “Angel.”
“Skip.” Angel said, putting on his shirt.
Cordelia rushed up. “Why didn’t you call?”
“Or at least knock?”
Skip looked to the bed and then to the couple. “I did. You must have been busy and not heard it.”
Cordelia’s jaw gapped and she ran to the disc it was flashing repeatedly indicating messages. “Oh.”
“Hurry up, the Oracles don’t like to be kept waiting. And Princess, I would advise changing.”
Cordelia raised her brows. Like she would go out in her pajamas. She looked down. Her t-shirt was on backwards and inside out.
“Oh, go away.” Slamming the door as the demon departed.
Chapter 21
“What are you doing?” Cordelia asked.
“Taking a shower.” Stepping behind her under the spray of water.
“I’m in here.”
“It will save time.”
Cordelia raised her brows over her shoulder.
“Here, let me.” Angel took the soap from Cordelia.
“We’re in a hurry.” Cordelia leaned into Angel as his soap filled hands trailed down her body. “Angel.” She tried to lecture, but her moan defeated her intent as his hands concentrated on her breast and stomach. She leaned further back until she was against his chest.
“I’ll hurry.” Angel kissed into her neck, his hand firmly on her breast the other traveling in between her thighs.
“Angel,” starting to try again. But the only thing Cordelia could think of was where to put her hands. She settled on grabbing at Angel’s forearms as his hands continued their movements.
Cordelia clutched at his arms, trying maintain her balance as Angel’s fingers teased then entered her. She gasped as his fingers moved in time with his tongue on her neck. Her head turned, her mouth latching on to his shoulder, trying to stop her moans as Angel teased her with his fingers. His fingers thrusting as his thumb pressed at the point just below her pelvic bone. “Oh god.” She whimpered, Angel holding her up as her orgasm overcame her.
“See quick.” Angel turned her and kissed her nose, smirking at the expression on Cordelia’s face.
She whacked him. “Finish your shower.” She rinsed herself off and got out.
“Hmm, Cordy.”
“What?”
“Love you.”
Cordelia’s scowl changed into a smile and leaned back into kiss the vampire. She leaned up and whacked again at the arms that were trying to pull her back into the shower. “Don’t even think about it. We’re late.”
“Hmm, Cordy.”
“What?”
“You’re mean.”
“Hmmph.” Cordelia slammed the bathroom door.
Chapter 22
Skip had been non-responsive to all the questions Cordelia hit him with. The demon just wouldn’t answer; he kept looking straight ahead through the front shield of the transport. Cordelia grunted and turned back to Angel.
“It doesn’t have to bad that the toga twins want to see us. After all we just defeated very evil bad guy. They have to see that you can protect Connor at home. He doesn’t need to stay here anymore. That’s what this is about -their just finally coming to their senses and being all grateful and stuff. Sure, the 7th hell prison still exists, but Skip said they’re making it more secure. And we did beat the Mortnublis. So, that has to be it, right? It would be just be stupid if they just wanted to yell and stuff. Right? Right.” She turned away nodding.
Angel wasn’t sure which of them Cordelia was trying to convince. If it was him, she wasn’t doing a good job. Probably because he could sense her fear, hell he could feel it. Cordelia’s fingernails were digging into his hand as she gripped it tightly.
Angel knew he had to hear the Oracles out. He just wished that it could’ve waited until never. He just wished that he were back at the house with Cordelia, his arms around her until it was time to go see Connor. Then the three of them would…Angel wasn’t sure what they would do but he knew it would be wonderful. He had never had such a perfect start to a day. He had woken up beside his son and Cordelia. He had made breakfast for his son, sort of; he had made love to Cordelia, most definitely. But now, Angel knew his perfect day would end.
He squeezed Cordelia’s hand. Angel wouldn’t lose her again, he wouldn’t miss out on any more of his son’s life. If he couldn’t take them back with him, then he would stay. It was that simple. His home wasn’t in LA. His home was with Cordelia and Connor. “It will be okay.”
Cordelia met his gaze. Her large eyes pleading to believe him.
“Here we are folks.” Skip got down from the transport.
Angel glanced around, his brows rising towards Cordelia.
“They like Post Offices- don’t ask me.”
Angel looked back at the old styled post office. It looked like the door that led to the Oracles in LA, just bigger and grander. Granite and stone columns graced the front.
Skip went up to the large urn by the door. He tossed in some powder and said a few mumbled words. Instantly, they were in a large chamber. It looked endless. White marble covered the wall and floors; gold drapes hung from the ceiling and standing on a raised platform were the Oracles. One male, one female. The only difference between them and the Oracles that Vocah had killed was hair color- this set was blonde.
“Skip.”
The demon bowed and disappeared.
“Warrior, Seer.” The woman walked down.
“Zelda, Fritz.”
Angel looked at Cordelia. She really did call them that. And they really didn’t like it. Both Oracles noticeably bristled. Angel wanted to tell Cordy that insulting them was probably not the best way to get what they wanted. But he didn’t. Cordelia was reacting out of her fear and he would let her, it was more productive than him killing the Oracles.
“You contained the Mortnublis.”
“Contained nothing, we beat its ass.”
“It still lives.”
“Well, it’s contained then. If you had supplied me with a bit more information in your THX horror show, we could have killed it. And don’t even tell me that you don’t know how. You put the damn thing in the 7th hell.”
“Cordy.” Angel knew then he had to stop her or least try. Antagonizing them wasn’t going to help. Angel would still need their permission to stay.
“Listen to the warrior, seer.” The male oracle joined his sister. “This will not deteriorate into one of your typical ‘discussions’.”
Cordelia started to speak, but stopped when Angel grabbed at her hand.
She glared but shut up.
“Good. Now, as my sister was saying the Mortnublis has been contained, but the danger to the Khap-man still exists. Nothing has changed. The Khap-man will remain under our protection and guidance. We’ve been gracious in allowing the warrior this time and as we do acknowledge he did well, the warrior will be allowed to remain longer than originally contemplated. But at the end of his visit, he will return to his mission.”
Cordelia broke away from Angel and stomped up to the pair. “You golden patronizing, condescending ingrates. Connor is Angel’s son, he has every right to see his son to be with his son- gracious my ass.”
“Control yourself seer or you will be banned once again from these halls.”
“Great loss.”
“Does that indicate that you want to leave?”
Zelda stepped up. “Seer, if we were to allow what the warrior wants, Connor would still be in danger and you would die, you know this.”
“Angel can protect Connor. And you’re just saying that I’m going to die, because all of the past human seers died. You don’t know. Cordelia Chase has never been one to follow the crowd or descend to the mundane predictable level, and I don’t plan to start now. I want to go back home with Connor and Angel.”
“Cordy.” Angel stared. He hadn’t even thought about what would happen to Cordelia if she went back with him. She couldn’t leave.
“Pooh Angel, they’ve been vague about the whole gloom and death stuff, like they’ve been with everything else. They haven’t shown me any words from high- no prophesy or scroll, nothing. There’s no evidence that they’re right.”
Angel just continued to stare at the young woman. Again, he didn’t know who she was trying to convince. But, like before, it wasn’t working for him. He didn’t need a scroll, Skip hadn’t been vague, and the increasing pain Cordy had endured as each vision tortured her was enough evidence for Angel.
“The Tro-Clan will not leave Mythos.” The male oracle stated putting an ending to the whole discussion.
“Wait.” Angel stepped forward. “If it is too dangerous for Connor and Cordelia to go back to LA, then I will stay here with them.”
“Angel, I want to go home.”
“Home is where we are together.” Angel said to Cordelia.
“Your mission is in Los Angeles.” The oracles said together.
“My place is with my son and his mother.”
“Your place, warrior is where your mission is. That is where you will find your redemption, where you will achieve your humanity.”
“Redemption be damned and my humanity is with Cordelia and Connor.”
Cordelia was conflicted. If Angel stayed he would never Shansu. “Angel, you want to be human, you deserve it.”
“What I want is here with you and Connor.”
“Are you sure?”
“How can you ask that?”
“Stupidity?” She smiled. Cordelia wanted to go back to LA with Connor and Angel. She wanted Angel to Shansu. She wanted Connor to be safe. But if she couldn’t have all that, she would settle for what she could have- the version of their dream here.
“The discussion is pointless. Warrior, you have a destiny that is apart from that of the Khap-man. Your contribution to his emergence is done. You are no longer required in any capacity towards the fruition of his destiny.”
“What? What the hell? Angel is Connor’s father. If you just wanted his ‘seed’ why didn’t you just have him jerky jerk in a jar? You want Connor to be the Kham-pah, ultimate warrior, then he needs Angel to learn what a warrior is. To know what it means. He needs his father.”
“How can Angel do that when he constantly puts his own selfish desires before the mission? Angel is a very flawed warrior, his performance as been adequate that is why we have allowed him leniency.”
“Adequate. Adequate.” Cordelia mumbled falling to the floor with a whoosh, her head shaking in disbelief.
Angel stood silent.
“Come Seer, you know this, you’ve seen it, that is why you brought the Kham-pah here. You did not believe that Angel would look beyond his own self-interest to save the Kham-pah from danger. If you don’t have faith in your warrior, how can we?”
Angel turned to stare at Cordelia. She had taken Connor because she hadn’t trusted him. How could he have forgotten that?
Cordelia lifted her head. “First, his name is Connor, he is a child not your Kham-pah, not yet…and just because you can run horror shows in my head doesn’t meant you know me or my motivations,” getting up, her tone hard.
“I didn’t bring Connor here because I didn’t have faith in Angel. Angel always makes the right decisions; just sometimes he goes about it the wrong way, like everyone. But we didn’t have the time for him to agonize about it, we didn’t have time for him to come to the conclusion that the only way Connor would be safe was for Angel to rip out his own heart. It wasn’t right that you were going to make him give up his hope for the future, especially when you were the one’s that gave it to him. It wasn’t right that you were going to make Connor grow up in some sterile prophecy without love, because that’s what would have happened if he had turned Connor over to you. But if I made the decision for him, then Angel would still have hope. Because he wouldn’t believe what I said in my letter, he wouldn’t believe that taking Connor was the only way, he would have kept trying to find a way to be with Connor, he still would have hope. And Connor would have me to tell him about Angel, to love him, to find a way to bring him home to his father.”
Angel wondered how he ever doubted her.
“You’re a sentimental fool. I had more respect for you than that, seer.”
“Since when.”
“Since, you past the test given to you in Plyea. You chose the fight over your own self-interest. You chose to continue to suffer the visions.”
“What?! Groo and the ‘Princess’ thing was a test?” Cordelia slammed her mouth shut. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Laughter won. “Poor Groo. Or did he know that he was a test?” Cordelia shook her head. “Well that explains the instant attraction weirdness and the I love you bit, what did you do put something in the water, trying to make sure I had a test to take. Heap on the jewelry, the fawning and adoration and sit back and watch if Cordy ditches the visions for a throne and a buff body. Please, you don’t know me. You’ve just been reading the graffiti on the bathrooms walls of Sunnydale High. But regardless of the lameness of that test, I didn’t not ‘comshuck’ with Groo for ‘the fight’. I wasn’t willing to lose the visions because I thought if I did, Angel wouldn’t need me anymore. And I sure in hell wasn’t going to stay in Plyea. Pooh, you probably wouldn’t even have let me keep the crown. Every choice, every decision I’ve made since I got these visions has been about Angel and his redemption.”
Angel couldn’t say anything during Cordy’s and the male’s oracles loud debate. He was just back to staring. He seemed to doing a lot of that. Angel wasn’t exactly sure what ‘comshuck’ meant, but from the context of the shouted word he could figure it out, so much for his talk with Cordelia about Groo, Angel didn’t need to hear the details. Anyway, it wasn’t important, not now. What was important was that Cordelia had been given a choice in Plyea to rid herself of the visions, but she refused. She refused for him. Angel wondered if he would ever be allowed to love Cordelia the way she deserved to be loved for all that she had done and given up for him.
“Pathetic. You have a strong pure soul- the soul of a true warrior, one not in need of redemption- yet you care nothing for the Fight. You are human that has become a seer. You are an anomaly. You were not prophesized. I do not understand why you exist.”
“Who says you have to?”
“We were wrong. You were allowed to remain with the Kham-pah because of your soul and the choice we thought you made. We believed that it indicated that you were a true warrior, a believer and as such would be a beneficial influence to the training of the Khap-man. But as this is false, you will leave with Angel and continue your role as his seer, for the time that you have. But as we are gracious, we will allow you both to remain for the visit.”
“What?” Both Angel and Cordelia shouted. Angel could no longer remain silent.
“Zelda, you know that Connor needs me. Don’t let him do this.” Cordelia rushed to the female Oracle.
Something akin to sympathy flickered in the female oracles gaze.
Cordelia latched on to it. “Zelda, you’ve seen Connor, talked to him, you know that he needs me.” Cordelia was begging. Angel didn’t know if he ever saw Cordelia do that before, and if he thought it would work he would get on his knees and add his pleas.
“We have spoken.” The male oracle said.
“Wait.”
“We’ve spoken, warrior.”
“Then listen now.” Pushing Cordelia behind him. His dream was once again crashing down around him. Only this time, he could sense the finality of it. It wouldn’t come back. But that didn’t mean Cordelia’s would have to be destroyed or that Connor would lose his mother. Angel could do that for him at least. Connor couldn’t have Angel’s love, but he would have Cordelia’s and Cordelia would live. “You want me to go back and be your Warrior. I’ll go, but Cordelia stays with Connor.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I may not have a choice on whether I stay here or take them with me, but I do have some choices left. I’m a warrior because my soul needs to be redeemed because I wanted it to be redeemed. But as you said, I’m a flawed warrior, one that doesn’t always put the fight before my own self- interest. Well, you do this and you haven’t seen anything yet.”
“Your meaning.”
“You remember Angelus, don’t you?”
“You have your soul.”
“Yeah, by the way thanks for telling me that’s its permanent. Thing is right now, my redemption doesn’t seem that important to me. I caused a lot of damage when I went beige, wonder what would happen if I went all the way to black.”
“You wouldn’t, you couldn’t handle the guilt.”
“Guilt only happens when you care.”
“You’re seer wouldn’t let you.” Both Oracles said at the same time.
Cordelia stared at Angel trying to read him, begging him not to do this, trying to figure out a way that they all could be together. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and then opened her eyes. Cordelia started speaking, her eyes never leaving Angel’s. “Thing is, as you said, I don’t care about the ‘fight’ and the only reason I suffered the visions was because Angel needed me to help him reach his redemption. Well, if he doesn’t really want it anymore, I don’t see how I could force him to be a warrior. In fact, I’m not sure if I would even want to, not like this. Sure, Wesley, Gunn and Fred would be hurt and angry, but really what could I do about that. Angel, do you think Wolfram & Hart would hire us.”
“Probably.”
“We could ask for huge salaries.”
“Seer, you couldn’t ignore the visions.”
“Not really the best argument for your side, since you say they’re killing me. And if they are- I bet with Wolfram & Hart ‘resources’, they could think of something, they figured away to manipulate the visions before. But if not, Angel would just have to ask for a really huge salary so I can live out my remaining years in the lap of luxury. Some of the stuff they wrote in the bathrooms were true, I do like my luxury.” Turning away from Angel towards the Oracles, her gaze firm.
“You’re bluffing.” The female Oracle stood in front of Cordelia. “I’ve seen you’re soul. You could never deny it. You wouldn’t let the warrior deny his.”
“Willing to test it? And aren’t you giving me too much credit, Fritz here seems to have a low opinion about me.”
Angel stepped up. “Whether Cordelia is bluffing or not isn’t really the issue, the issue is whether I am. You say Cordelia is going to die. Well, without Connor without Cordy, really what check is there, when I no longer want what you have to offer?”
Zelda gaze remained on Cordelia. The seer was good, but not that good. Zelda was satisfied. She nodded slightly to the young woman and turned to the other Oracle.
“Brother, we can not take the risk. The seer will remain; Angel will go at the end of the scheduled visit.”
“Sister…”
“We have spoken.”
“Zelda,” Cordy reached out her hand to the female.
“Go, you weary us.” Zelda stared hard at the young woman, and then winked.
Chapter 23
Angel and Cordelia said nothing as they walked to the transport.
“How did it go?” Skip walked up to the couple. “Not well, I see,” he said at their silence. “I’m sorry.” The demon did look sympathetic.
Cordelia suddenly spoke. “Skip, when it’s time for Connor’s free period I want you to bring him to the lake. Tell him that he will be going on a picnic with his mommy and daddy. And I want you to tell his instructors that he will not be attending anymore classes this week.”
“Um.”
“Do it. And leave us the transport, we have things to get ready.”
Skip sighed then nodded, shimmering out of sight.
***********
Angel just sat listening to Cordelia babble on about the lake and how Connor loved it there. She talked non-stop telling stories of past picnics, pondering on what they would need to buy all the way to the market, to the butcher’s to the house, where she hurriedly packed a basket and bag full of toys. He didn’t stop her or interrupt. He just listened. Neither was ready to talk about what the Oracles had ordered.
************
It wasn’t until they were sitting on the rocks waiting for Connor did Cordelia run out of words. That’s when the tears started.
“Cordy, don’t.” Angel gently brushed away the falling moisture.
“I can’t help it. It was so perfect and it could have been so much more. If….”
“If they would have allowed it. But they didn’t.”
“Angel, I don’t want you to be alone. I don’t want to leave you again, I don’t know that I can…”
“Yes you can and you know it, because, Connor comes first. And that is why I can be alone. Because I will know that you both are safe here. I know that you will have each other, that you will love Connor as much as I do as much as I love you.”
“How can you? I did this. I took him away.”
Angel’s hands cupped her tear stained face. “We’ve gone through this. You did what was right for Connor’s safety. You were however wrong in that I would’ve have lost all hope if I had made the decision to send him here. I would’ve still had hope with you beside me, I still would’ve a dream of a future….”
“Angel you would’ve….”
“Only had a part of my heart ripped out. I need you Cordelia. I always have and always will. And as much as I still want you by my side, in my life, in my bed,” Angel paused caressing her lips and sighing deeply. “I can’t let Connor be alone. Just like you can’t. And I can’t take a chance that the visions will kill you. But just maybe, just maybe we can find a way for our dream to come true.”
Cordelia leaned in pressing her forehead against his. Angel lifted her head and gently kissed her lips, his thumbs wiping away her tears.
“Zelda.” Jerking back.
Angel cocked his brow.
“Angel, she didn’t believe us, but she didn’t call us on it.”
“She didn’t believe you.” Angel knew he hadn’t been bluffing.
Cordelia’s brow scrunched, and then she shook her head. “Whatever,” Cordelia wasn’t going to waste time wondering whether Angel would’ve really turned away from his soul and its redemption. “Zelda didn’t call us on it. She winked. She was why I got to stay with Connor and she was the one that let you visit. She’s on our side as much as she can be.” Angel leaned back and watched as the wheels started turn. “Angel, I bet we can get her to at least let you visit again, and who knows maybe I can wear her down about allowing Connor and me to come home.”
“Well, if anyone can frustrate the hell out of someone so they have to give in, it’s you.”
“That was a compliment, right?”
“Very much so.”
Cordelia closed her eyes, her brief smile gone. “Angel, we don’t even know how long you can stay and they never explained the time thingy between here and LA.”
“Cordy”
She opened her eyes and smiled softly into his pleading eyes. Nodding her promise to just to enjoy whatever time they had together.
Angel smiled pulling her back into his arms, starting to kiss her this time not gentle, but with a fierce hunger fueled by need, love and desperation. Cordelia leaned in wrapping her arms around him.
“MOMMY, DADDY.”
“Angel, don’t growl.” Cordelia chided as she pulled his hand away from under her shirt.
“I love him, but his timing stinks.”
“Angel.” Whacking at him. “Honey, over here.” Waiving as Connor came barreling down the bank towards them leaving Skip to stop and make sure that he reached his parents safely.
“He doesn’t sleep with you every night does he?” Angel got up leaning in behind her to whisper.
“There’s always the shower.” She giggled back.
“That’s not the answer I wanted to hear.” Angel said following her towards their son.
Chapter 24
“About giving the ball a rest and come eat?” Cordelia laughingly asked as Angel and Connor continued to play their own version of catch tackle. Angel would throw the bright ball to Connor and if the he caught it Angel would tackle him. Of course, Angel’s version of tackling consisted picking up Connor tossing him in the air until the little boy squealed in delight. Connor’s version was running up to Angel when the vampire caught the ball and grabbing at his legs until Angel picked him up and tossed him in the air. Angelus’ version was to grab the ball in midair and run until Angel and Connor caught up with him, if Angel reached the big beast first, tug of war ensued, if Connor reached Angelus first, the big beast laid the ball at the small boy’s feet. Or that was Angelus version until Angel got tired of tugging at a soggy, slobbery ball and begged Cordelia to call Angelus off. The huge cat had been reluctant to give up so much fun, but he went and was somewhat mollified by Cordelia scratching the perfect spot behind his ears.
“One more game, please mommy.”
“Sure, Angelus and I will just sit here and eat all of the food. You know how he loves sweet cakes.”
“Sweet cakes?” Connor loved sweet cakes; they were sugary, gooey and messy. The perfect food. “Daddy, we better hurry, Angelus will eat all of them.” The young boy grabbed at Angel’s hand pulling him urgently.
“Conner, sandwich first.” Cordelia eyed the little hand that was reaching for the dessert.
“Aw, Angelus got one.”
Angel shook his head at the big creature, the animal was purring even louder if that was possible, slurping up the confectionary. “Angelus, Cordy?” Angel still couldn’t understand what possessed Cordelia to name the big spoiled purring fanged cat after his soulless self. Except for the fangs, nothing about the beast even remotely resembled the vampire Angelus.
“It…that’s why.” Cordelia put down her sandwich and got up.
Angelus had jumped up abandoning his treat and emitted a loud fierce growl, his two front sharp fangs extended even further and his eyes glowed yellow as the big creature took off running for the trees.
“Damn.“
“Cordy?“ Angel got up trying to sense any danger.
“The lake is safe, unless…”
“Maybe, it’s a terra beast, mommy. They sometimes get out of the Corridor,” Connor explained to Angel. “Cool.”
“Help……M’lady, plea……..see.” A weak scream came from the trees.
“Double Damn,” Cordelia mumbled, then let out a shrill whistle.
“It’s just Barney.” Connor went back to his sandwich.
“Barney?”
“The demon I told you about, you know that one that Angelus bit.” Cordy said over her shoulder.
“The one that tried to get into the house after you?”
“Hey, Daddy, you just growled like Angelus.”
“Angel, Barney is harmless.”
“Just dumb. Always following Mommy around, saying stupid stuff….”
“Connor, that’s enough. “
Angel turned his attention away from the woods to his son. The sounds of growling, high pitch whining and squealing assured Angel that Angelus was keeping Barney occupied for now. Angel winced as Cordelia let out another hitch pitch whistle. “Damn cat.” Cordelia stomped towards the sounds.
“So, Connor what kind of stupid stuff does this Barney say?” Sitting beside his son.
“Stupid stuff, ‘your breath is as savory as the richest bacha, your hair fills the air with the scent of talla berries’- dumb uh.”
Angel wasn’t sure what bacha and talla berries were but he was getting the picture.
He decided that he would rather be standing to meet this demon. “Connor, what kind of demon is Barney?”
“Fragornis”
Angel’s opinion of Angelus rose sharply as he saw that the creature kept his body in between Cordelia and the demon at all times. Cordelia was storming back towards them, Angelus immediately behind and the demon running after talking rapidly, his robe flowing behind his squat body. Angel could see Cordelia nod and roll her eyes every once in awhile at something the demon said. And every time, the demon tried to move around to get closer to the young woman, Angelus nudged him back growling. The huge cat’s eyes still glowing and his fangs still elongated. Angelus wasn’t looking happy; he looked like he would rather be chewing on the demon rather than just acting as interference. Angel was quite pleased as he noticed that the Barney’s robes seemed to be torn in several places by what appeared to be claw marks.
As they got closer, Angel listened.
“M’Lady, that….that creature tried to ….kill ….me… again.”
“Of course, he didn’t Barney. You must have startled him.”
“M’lady, it came charging at me.”
“Were you hurt? No. Don’t worry. I’ll have the robe replaced. I thought you were going to start wearing jeans, anyway?”
“The Gap didn’t have my size. They have to special order them for me.”
Cordelia looked back at the squat demon. “Yeah, I guess they would.”
“M’lady, my robe is irrelevant, I only worry about you and the child’s safety. The Truxcats are a dangerous breed, they have been known ….”
“Barney, why are you here?”
“….and M’lady they give off the most revolting scent.” The demon waved part of his tunic up against the large gapping holes in the middle of his face. Angel noticed that his eyes were too tiny red dots and his ears were just as small, though not red. He had never seen a Fragornis demon before, not very impressing. Angel had beheaded and gutted plenty of bigger of demons before.
“You M’lady, though are a pungent bouquet of fresh roasted musk wood.” The demon lifted his head to take in the air around Cordelia. His attempt to savor Cordelia’s scent turned into startled terror. “M’lady…M’lady….” Barney cried out, his head turning and membranes fluttered from the large gapping holes. They looked like air vents. “M’lady.” Barney went to grab at Cordelia only to jump back as Angelus lunged at the offending arm.
“Angelus.” Cordelia said sharply. The beast growled but let the demon go.
“It did it again.”
“You startled him. Really, Barney, Angelus still hasn’t forgiven you for waking him up when you tried to get into the house.”
“M’lady, M’lady, I wasn’t…I told….”
“I know, wanted to leave a present for me. Well, you should have done it during waking hours. Angelus doesn’t like to be to be awakened.”
“Of course, my humblest apologies, but M’lady, you must stop there is a …..is a vampire about.” The demon squinted his beady bright eyes fearfully around, his nose flapping widely.
Angel decided it was as good of a time as any to make his presence seen not just smelt.
“Hello.”
“Eek. M’lady, do not fear I will protect you.”
Angelus again lunged preventing the demon closer to Cordelia.
“That will not be necessary and Angelus behave. Barney, this is Angel, Connor’s father.” She said as Angel stepped even closer.
Barney jumped back. “The Tro-Clan’s father is a great warrior.”
“Hi, that’s me.” Angel put out his hand.
“But, he’s a vampire?!” The demon jumped away from the hand. Angel shrugged and motioned Angelus towards him.
“Yes. Angel, what are you doing?”
“Angelus needed another sweet cake.” Angel scratched behind the beast’s ears as it gobbled up the cake. “Good boy.”
“Angel, really.” Rolling her eyes. “Connor, say hello to Barney.”
“Hi.” Connor went back to his meal.
Cordelia rolled her eyes at both father and son. She let out a deep breath. “Barney how did you find me and why did you find me?”
“Yes, how did you find M’lady, you weren’t following her by any chance were you?’ Putting his hand possessively around Cordelia’s waist. “Angelus.” He said lowly.
The big beast got up and stood on the other side of Cordelia.
“Both of you stop it right now.” Trying to untangle herself from Angel’s grasp. He just held harder and glared at the demon.
Barney took a step closer, bending his head so he could see. He jumped back with a squeal as he saw two sets of yellows eyes and fangs growling at him.
“Angel, Angelus, sit.” Cordelia pushed Angel’s hand away. Angel glared once then relented. “Come on, Angelus. I think you need another sweet cake.”
Cordelia sighed. “Barney, why?” Following behind her protectors.
“Um, are you sure they’re safe?” Barney looked back and forth at Angel and Angelus.
“Barney.”
“Yes, well you weren’t at the grand opening of the Gap or the PTA meeting, I was worried. You’ve not been answering your communication disc. I went to Skip’s; S'Lasic said you would be here. “
“I’m fine.” Sitting on the blanket. “Have a sweet cake.”
Angel snatched the plate from her hand. “That’s for Angelus.”
“Daddy, he’s already had three. That’s mine.”
“Oh.” Handing the plate to Connor. “We’ll get you some more at home.” Angel patted the creature.
“Home? So, you’ll be staying then?” Barney squeaked.
“For awhile, but while I’m gone Angelus will be there, won’t you boy.” The beast nudged happily at Angel’s hand. “And I trained him.”
“You what?” Cordelia gapped.
“Yes, I trained him, he won’t let anyone near M’lady or Connor, will you.” Angel scratched vigorously at the cat’s huge head. The cat purred and slobbered all over Angel’s leg. Not the picture Angel was going for. “If anyone bother’s them, he’ll just chew and chew won’t you big guy,” Angel swatted playfully at the big beast. “Come on, let’s show some teeth.” He pushed at the big cat, Angelus growled and pushed back as Angel took him in a bear hug. The two rolled each growling and showing their fangs. Angelus had never had so much fun.
“I want to play.” Connor ran and jumped into the mix.
Simultaneously with out getting up Angelus growls became softer and his fangs retracted, as did his claws. Angel’s face was returned to that of a human as he rolled to his back and picked Connor up in the air. “Angelus, incoming.” Connor let out a squeal as he landed on the beast. Angelus nudged and poked at the boy. Connor got up and dove for the beast’s belly. Angelus rolled coming up on all fours. Connor giggled, looking out from in between the cat’s paws.
“I don’t know Connor, it looks like he might have won that one.” Angel laughed.
“M’lady.”
“Oh, don’t be so fretty, it makes wrinkles and they’re both trained, sort of.” She shook her head at the group. Angel was now sitting on the grass, Connor firmly on his lap. Angelus had placed his huge head on the vampire’s knee.
“Barney, thank you for being so concerned, but as you see….”
“Yes, I do apologize, I was not aware that you had a guest.”
“He’s not a guest, he’s my daddy.”
“Yes, of course. M’lady, I will see you at the next PTA meeting. May your scent remain as everlasting and beautiful as salterian herb.” Backing up and bowing.
“See, stupid.” Connor whispered into Angel’s ear.
“Angel…” Cordelia started to lecture.
“Let’s get mommy,” Ignoring Cordelia’s glare.
“Let’s get mommy,” Connor yelled bulleting from Angel’s lap onto Cordelia’s, knocking her over. Angel quickly followed capturing them both.
“Mommy’s ticklish.”
Cordelia laughed and threatened as two set’s of hands one small, the other firm and strong attacked her stomach.
Angelus yawned and went back to the blanket. He looked at the three people, then at the neglected last sweet cake. He hunched down and started to eat. Angelus was having a perfect day.
Chapter 25
Angel came into the bedroom. Cordelia was standing in the middle of the room waiting for him. “Angel, you shouldn’t have encouraged Angelus. You could’ve been hurt, you don’t have your full grr strength.”
“We were just playing.”
“No, you were showing off your fangs. Poor Barney was frightened to death.”
Angel shrugged. Barney was just lucky he was such a harmless demon had he been any other type he would’ve been dead.
Cordelia shook her head at Angel’s expression. It was useless to lecture him so she changed the subject. “Did Connor take his bath?”
Angel nodded and reached out to take Cordelia in his arms. “He’s in bed.”
“Uhuh,” Cordelia moved away. Angel reached out for her again.
“Did you see him take his bath?” Moving away again.
Angel scowled and caught a hold of her. “He took his bath, he was wet, and the towel was wet. He’s in bed, his OWN bed.” Angel leaned in to kiss her.
Cordelia pushed at Angel’s chest.
“Cordy.” Angel kept a hold of her.
“Did you see your son’s body in the water?”
“Cordy, he took his bath.”
“Thought so.” She shook her head. “Connor Angel, get your unwashed butt back in that tub.” She yelled.
“Aw, mommy.” A small voice drifted from the room at the end of the hall.
“NOW.” Cordelia looked back at Angel. “And you go and make sure that your son fills that tub with water and uses soap.”
“He…..”
“Didn’t step a foot into that tub. He’s tricky, your son. Now go.” Pushing Angel towards the door.
*************************
“You got me in trouble.” Angel stared at his small son sitting in the tub. The little boy was trying very hard to drown the soap.
Connor looked up, a scowl on his face. “How does mommy do that?”
“Do what?” Angel went to kneel by the tub.
“See through walls. Do her eyes grow too at night? I hate baths.” Smacking at the soap as it floated back to the surface.
Angel had to laugh. Connor looked so disgusted. Angel laughed again at the new expression on his son’s face at the laughter. The little boy had as many expressions as Cordelia. It was amazing and beautiful to watch.
“It’s not funny.”
“Yes it is. You’re so much like your mother.” Angel rescued the soap and picked up the washcloth. “Here, at least get some of the dirt off.”
“Hmmph.” Connor took the washcloth, scrunching up his brow. “Mommy says that my hair is the same color as Darla’s.”
Angel stared. He hadn’t been talking about Darla; in fact he had forgotten that Darla was the woman that gave birth to the small boy. Angel had begun to think of only Cordelia as Connor’s mother.
“Almost,” Angel lifted his hand to Connor’s blonde hair. “It’s a little darker though.”
“Not as dark as you and mommy’s. Mommy said you liked blondes.”
“Did she? ” Angel shook his head. “I like your hair.”
“You like mommy’s too, right? It’s not blonde, but its pretty and it always smells nice.” Connor insisted.
“I like your hair, not because it’s blonde but because it’s on your head. I never had a preference about hair color, no matter what silly thought your mommy had. And your right, mommy’s hair is very pretty and always smells nice.” What a major understatement, but Angel didn’t think Connor would appreciated the difference between, pretty and smelled nice, from gorgeous, silky, rich and intoxicating.
Connor scrunched up his brow, his eyes searching Angel’s face.
“What is it, Connor?”
“You said you loved mommy, you do right?”
“Very much.” Angel was puzzled at Connor’s sudden need for reassurance.
“You were mad at her when you first came and you got mad at her again."
Angel sat back surprised. Angel hadn’t realized that Connor had picked up on his earlier anger at Cordelia. That seemed so long ago.
“Connor, sometimes people get mad at the people they love. It doesn’t mean that they don’t love them, though. You got mad at mommy, too and you still love her don’t you.”
“You shouldn’t get mad at mommy. It makes her upset. I don’t like it when mommy is upset or scared. I’m her protector.”
Angel studied his son. The boy had a determined expression on his face and warning glint in his eye that was out of place on a five year old.
“Connor, we both are mommy’s protector because we both love her. Okay.” Angel said softly. He felt like he was negotiating a delicate very important deal. Connor may have seemed to accept him completely, but the small child seemed to have some issues in regards to how Angel’s presence affected Cordelia. Cordelia had warned him not to make Connor choose between the two of them. What she hadn’t told him was that Connor would choose her.
Connor considered Angel. Then he smiled brightly. “Okay. I’m done.” Drowning the soap again.
Angel wasn’t sure what Connor was done with, the bath or the doubts about Angel’s intentions regarding his mother. Whichever, Angel was just relieved.
****************************
“Well.” Cordelia sat on the bed brushing her hair.
“How old is he?”
“Uh.” Cordelia dropped her hands.
“He just very effectively threatened me not to hurt you.” Angel sat on the bed next to her still a little stunned.
“Angel, that’s ridiculous.”
Angel shook his head unconsciously taking the brush from her, taking over the job of pulling it through her long hair. “He did.” Angel paused and realized what he was doing. He put the brush down and started combing with his fingers. That was much better.
Cordelia turned, but didn’t stop the actions of Angel’s fingers. “I’m sure he didn’t threaten you. He’s your son.”
“Yeah, which just means he inherited my obsessive need to keep his mother happy and safe. Why did you tell him I like blondes? I had to spend the first ten minutes convincing him that I liked your hair, then that I loved you and then that I wouldn’t upset you.”
“Angel, I didn’t tell him about your blonde fetish. I just told him you liked blonde hair, that you would like his that’s all.”
Angel’s hands stilled, and then moved down to her shoulders turning Cordelia to face him. “Blonde fetish? You’re the one that has the blonde obsession.” He cocked a brow.
“Angel,” Cordelia held up her hand starting to count her fingers.
Angel grabbed her hand. “Don’t. I don’t need to be reminded that Buffy or Darla were blondes.”
“Well they were.”
Angel pushed Cordelia down on the bed, rubbing his face into her chest. “Fine. I have a blonde fetish. In fact, I’m not even sure how I can stand to make love to you as you’re not blonde.” Angel leaned up spreading her hair out over the bed, his fingers tracing the dark strands as his other hand moved under the hem of her shirt. “Maybe, you can dye it, you know so it will be easier for me.”
Cordelia scowled and smacked at his chest. “I’m not dying my hair.”
“Connor’s right, you are silly.” Angel laughed, covering Cordelia with his body. “But you do have pretty hair and it always smells nice, not at all icky, so I guess it will be alright.” He laughed again as he captured Cordelia’s next response in a deep kiss.
“Ewww. You’re kissing again.” Connor stood at the doorway.
With a groan, Angel rolled off Cordelia and sat up.
“Another bad dream, honey?” Cordelia pushed herself up.
“No. You didn’t come and kiss me goodnight.” Connor shot a look towards Angel.
“I’m sorry, honey. I was….”
“Kissing him.” Connor pointed an accusing finger at Angel.
“See.” Angel whispered to Cordelia. “He’s doing it again, threatening me.”
“Angel.” Cordelia got up off the bed. “Come on, honey, let’s get you tucked in.”
“Daddy, are you sleeping with mommy again?”
“I’m having a bad dream, a really bad one.”
Connor scrunched up his face and took Cordelia’s hand. “Hmmph.”
“Connor?” The small boy turned to look at his father. “How come it’s okay for mommy to kiss you good night and not me?”
“Angel.” Cordelia said.
Connor studied his father after a moment and then he nodded. “I guess it’s okay.”
“Thank you.” Angel said.
“Come on, Connor.” Cordelia led the small boy to his bedroom, her head shaking the whole way.
************************
“Angel.”
“If you even suggest that I sleep anywhere else than with you….”
“You’ll what?” Cordelia raised a brow.
“Cordelia.” Angel got up from the bed, stalking towards her, completely nude.
Cordelia turned and went to the dresser. “Here at least put these on.” She threw him some pajamas.
Angel caught the clothes. “Why do you have men’s pajamas?” Angel wondered if he should be getting mad.
“Because, I doubted very seriously that you would’ve brought any. Just like you wouldn’t have thought to pack extra clothes.” She went to the closet and opened the door. “I forgot this morning.”
Angel went to look at all the clothes hanging up. He rifled through the shirts. There wasn’t a black one in there.
“I resisted getting the plaid or anything too bright. And don’t worry, most of the pants are black.”
“Leather?” Angel pulled out a pair.
Cordelia shrugged a slight smile on her face. “I liked them.”
Angel looked in the closet again. There was something very appealing about the sight of his clothes jammed in next to Cordelia’s. It gave a sense of permanency to his being with Cordelia and Connor, like he wasn’t just visiting them, but rather living with them. Angel forced back the memory of the Oracles. He would enjoy every minute of this; he would not waste a second on brooding. He couldn’t afford to. Angel had an overwhelming urge to hold Cordelia.
“Pajamas.” Cordelia murmured into his lips.
“I don’t wear them.”
Cordelia pulled back a little. “You will when Connor is in the house.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t want you too. I want to feel and see every part of you.” His hands starting to act on his desires. Cordelia moaned into his caresses, helping Angel to get rid of her pajamas.
Angel was sure that he won. That was until a few hours later, Cordelia got up from the bed, put her pajamas back on and threw the pants of his set. “On.”
“Cordy.” Angel tried not to whine, but he wasn’t very successful.
“On.” She said getting back into the bed.
Angel grinned and reached again for her. He could still win. She pushed his hands away from her top. “Mine are staying on, and you are putting those on.”
Angel knew he lost. Grumbling he tugged at the pants.
“See, not that bad is it.” Curling up around his body.
Angel scowled at her, then smiled as he felt her hand caress his chest and stomach. It might not be has bad as he feared. He cupped her buttocks closer to his hips, his fingers reaching up underneath her cotton shorts.
“Angel.”
“Shh. They’ll stay on.” Angel rolled on top of her, his hands moving quickly and expertly over and under the clothes. “But tomorrow night you’re wearing a night gown.” Angel took her moan to be an agreement.
Chapter 26
Angel glanced blankly around the hotel. Nothing about it looked familiar. The air was strange. It tasted different. It smelled different. It wasn’t home.
He slumped to the ground his back resting against the counter and closed his eyes. Maybe just maybe this was the dream. If he could just go to sleep, the nightmare would end. He would awake covered with Cordelia’s warmth, his hands wrapped under her top, his leg anchoring her to him. And then just maybe, he would hear his son yelling for breakfast. Maybe. If he just closed his eyes, his hands tightening around the book Skip had shoved in his hand before ripping his heart out.
*************
Angel’s eyes shot open. Voices. Not Cordelia’s, not Connor’s. He closed his eyes willing himself back to the pictures of Cordelia and Connor in his mind.
“Are we done with the saving gig, now? I’m seriously in need of a Calotorian steam and mud bath. I should have just gone to the YMCA.” Lorne wiggled his broken nails and dirty hands. “I’m going to go to my room away from home. Gargle- then go to that makeshift dive of my so call club. It’s Aretha’s Encore Presentation Night. I need to gargle. You kids coming.” Lorne had been spending his nights at the hotel every since Angel left. The demon con men masquerading as contractors were taking forever to fix his club, much less ever getting to the big gapping hole in his bedroom and Fred needed the company. It just seemed to make sense. Well, except going with the lone do gooder crew on their ‘cases’, but since Lorne was there and they didn’t have the big guy or the princess it sort of made sense. It made sense, but that didn’t mean that Lorne was going to neglect his singing and hosting duties.
“No. Someone should be here if Angel comes back. What if he comes back and we’re not here. He’ll be all alone. That wouldn’t be right, unless…maybe Cordy and Connor will be with him. Then we have to be here. We have to be here when they all come home. They have to come home.”
“Fred, it’s only been two weeks and you shouldn’t stay here every night. You need to get out. And Lorne thanks for coming with us again tonight. With Vesta hordes, you need all the hands you can get.”
“Dirty hands. I’m going to need a manicure.”
Gunn shook his head, raising his axe. “If I have to hear one more squeal about a broken nail, I’ll give you your manicure. Even Cordy wasn’t so ‘oh’ my nails or ‘oh’ my hair. Jesus.”
Lorne turned to Gunn, his brows raised. “Your aura is in some serious need of valium. The bad mood and lingering hostility are blinding. I just work for the Powers I didn’t give the Princess and the little one the out town pass.”
“Guys.” Wesley said. Gunn and Lorne seemed to be bickering constantly now. Gunn couldn’t take out his frustration over Angel and Cordelia’s disappearance on the Powers, so he picked Lorne as a convenient substitue.
“Wesley.” Fred said.
Wesley sighed. He was tired. He was tired of Gunn and Lorne’s constant sniping. He was tired of listening to Gunn rant about the Powers. He looked down at the pretty young woman tugging at his arm and god forbid he was even tired of Fred’s constant questions and increasing need for reassurance. The young woman was taking Angel and Cordelia’s absence hard. And as the days past, she was becoming more and more frantic. Wesley hadn’t even known how hard until he found her huddled under a table. Wesley had been shocked and concerned. Fred hadn’t resorted to that hiding place in six months. That’s when she told him in a shaky frightened voice that the nightmares of Plyea had come back and that they were getting to be more and more real to her. She was losing the ability to see the clicks. She knew that it was the absence of Cordelia and Angel that was causing her weakening sense of reality. It was different when Angel had left on his retreat, everyone knew that he would be back, even if they weren’t sure when. It was different when Cordelia left with Connor, because Fred had just known that together they would find them and bring them home. But, now everyone was saying Cordelia and Connor wouldn’t be back, Angel was gone and they didn’t know when he would be back. What if he didn’t come back? Wesley tried to assure that Angel would come back. But she cried, what about Cordelia and Connor. Things wouldn’t be same. And she needed things to be same; she needed the security of her new family. Wesley tried to convince her to go visit her parents. He tried to tell her new family wasn’t her only family. But Fred wouldn’t leave the hotel. Fred wouldn’t take the chance that Angel, Cordelia and Connor would return and no one would be at the hotel. And everyday she would look to him for reassurance. Wesley wanted to give it to her he truly did. Fred was very special; he hated to see her hurting. But he was tired. He just wanted sometime alone, not worrying about the business, not refereeing, not calming Fred and not pretending that this was just another extraordinary happening, the type that was always happening to them. The type that always ended with them together. But, Wesley had doubts. The Powers were directly involved this time. They had their own agenda and were making sure that it was followed. This wasn’t like when they all drove through the Plyea portal to save Cordelia. It had been extraordinary, but they had been together in that strange place and together he knew that they would find a way home. It wasn’t like when Angel went to the hell dimension to save Cordelia. That had been nerve-wracking, Cordelia in so much pain, Angel alone in the unknown. But Wesley also knew that Angel would come back. Angel had the key and a purpose- to save Cordelia. And Angel always saved Cordelia. But this time, what Angel wanted, what they all wanted was contrary to what the Powers dictated. Wesley was frightened that this one time the outcome was truly out of their hands. They would not be a whole family ever again. But Wesley also knew that they couldn’t just give up and that made him tired.
“Wesley.” Fred said again.
“Fred, we don’t know when Angel’s coming back or even if he is. If the Powers don’t let Connor go, then he may stay and we may never know.” Wesley said more sharply than he meant.
“They have to let them all come back. They belong here, this is their home.”
“Wes is correct cutie pie and the Powers don’t have to do a damn thing. Call me cynical and call me sappy, but if Mama and Baby Bear aren’t allowed to come, I can’t see Papa Bear willingly packing up his porridge to high tail it back here. And between you, me and the LA Choir, if the Powers don’t let Cordy and the little one come home, I just as soon hope that Papa Bear stays with them.”
“Lorne?” Both Fred and Wesley questioned. But unlike Fred’s exclamation, Wesley’s question wasn’t one of angry shock. It was just a question.
“Kiddies, if the Powers take the Princess AND Connor from Angel, then beige is not the color we need to worry about him sportin’.”
Wesley became even more tired. Lorne was right. If the Powers did this to Angel, it may mean more than him just broodying and ignoring the mission for awhile, his disenchancement with the Powers could be permanent and if that happened people would die and any chance that Angel had for his redemption would be lost.
Lorne sidled over the ex-watcher whispering in his ear. “Oh appointed leader, you’re in serious need of…”
“Lorne, don’t read me.” Wesley took off his glasses.
“It’s just not fair,” Fred turned on the light and let out a pitch squeal.
Wesley, Gunn and Lorne turned quickly the weapons that were still in their hands raised.
“Oh my god, Angel. Angel, are you all right? Wesley, guys, it’s Angel. Angel’s home. Angel?”
Angel stood and stared. He heard their voices, recognized their scents. His friends. He wasn’t dreaming. This was what was real. But it still wasn’t home. Angel turned for the stairs.
“Angel? Angel, wait.” Wesley stopped his hand as it reached for the vampire. “Angel, please.”
Angel slowly turned, his eyes still blank.
Wesley wasn’t encouraged but he had to ask. “Cordy? Connor?”
“Home.” Angel blinked and went upstairs.
“They’re home. Angel here, where? Upstairs. I…” Lorne put a restraining hand over Fred’s.
“That’s not what he meant, sweetums.”
The vampire kept walking.
“Oh, no. Wesley.” Fred flung herself into Wesley’s arms. Wesley held her tight. “I want them back.” She sniffled.
“We all do.” Wesley caressed her hair. His tiredness sank into exhaustion. His eyes looked up to the stairs. Angel had not looked good. And if Angel wouldn’t talk to them, let them help him, then what Lorne predicted may very well come to pass. And Wesley knew that if Angel did open up to them, then Wesley would have to hear how Cordelia was never coming back. And then, Wesley would never have the time to grieve her absence, because Angel would need him.
“Now what?” Gunn threw done his axe. “I don’t like this at all. What kind of higher ups are these powers?”
“Can you please pick a new refrain,” Lorne shot to the black man. “Now, we wait and see. And I’m going to go change, go to my club, and belt out the most soulful kick ass version of ‘Without the One You Love” get drunk and then wait for the Princess’ next vision and hope that the big lug will answer its call. Muffin, you really should join me.”
“Lorne, do you think you’ll be getting them? You haven’t been?” Wesley ignored Lorne’s suggestion.
“Why not, that seems to be the routine. Princess vision, me headache. I imagine my only reprieve was that Angel wasn’t here, but he’s back, without his seer. Substitute head that’s me, unless…” Lorne’s worried eyes shot towards the others.
Gunn backed up. “Don’t even go there, man don’t.” He shook his head stumbling.
“No. Angel would surely have told us…”
“What are y’ll?” Fred’s widened. “No. Cordy’s not …I’m not even going to speak it, cuz it’s not true. It can’t be, Wesley?” Pleading for him to agree.
Wesley calmed his fear. “He would've told us. He’s just…just upset, because he had to leave them. He said they were home.”
“Right. They’re home….” Fred turned back into Wesley’s chest. “Home is here and they’re not here.” Crying.