Title: Return
Author: bizzielizzie
Posted: 06-16-2002
Rating: NC17
Email:
Content: Ats/Buffy crossover
Summary:
Spoilers: Up to and including Provider Ats season 3 & Gone Buffy season 6
Disclaimer: Nope, they don't belong to me. Ats, Buffy. and all associated belong to Joss Whedon etc. yada yada yada
Distribution:
Notes: This is my first time! Feedback would be good but try to be gentle with me! Also, I'm English - hence the 'weird' spelling. Only lived in the US for a year so if I get some American stuff wrong please give me the benefit of the doubt.
Dedication: To all you a/c fic writers out there who inspired me to get typing.
Part 8
Angel's Mansion - Sunnydale CA
Angel paced up and down restlessly, trying to fight the urge to hit something. Hard. He glanced over at Cordelia who was sitting with her head in her hands, a large book lying open in her lap. His heart went out to her. For all he was angry and worried he couldn't imagine how she must be feeling. He touched her back lightly with his hand causing her to look up. Eyes brimming with tears met his and he silently traced the pattern of one that had escaped before wiping it gently away. 'Come with me,' he said simply taking her hand and leading her towards the bedroom.
She was relieved at the chance to escape the intense atmosphere that filled the room. Buffy had returned and was currently beating the life out of a punch bag in the corner, a look of controlled fury gracing her pretty features. Wesley was still researching, books covering the table he was working at and spilling over onto the floor, Willow tapped away on her laptop whilst Xander and Anya had headed out to the magick shop for supplies. Most of all she wanted to evade her mother's pitiful looks. She could not forgive her for her past actions but the fact that she had come to warn them meant something. Perhaps she finally was changing. A part of her wanted to reach a truce, after all, you only ever have one mother, but she would need time. She followed Angel to the bedroom willingly and once the door was closed sank into his embrace.
'You okay?' he asked hiss voice gruff with emotion.
'No, but I'm dealing.' She didn't look up, just buried her face deeper into his shirt. They were silent for a while, just finding comfort in each other 's arms, neither wanting to let go. Finally she sighed. 'I'm going to do it you know.'
Angel narrowed his eyes, 'do what?' He didn't like the way this conversation was going.
'If we can't find a way to stop it I'll go willingly. I won't let them hurt Conner.' Her tone was resolute, no room for argument.
'It won't come to that.' Angel spoke determinedly.
'Hopefully not, but if it does, I want you to promise me something.'
'I can't lose you.'
'Promise me you won't do anything stupid for me. You have a child to take care of now. One that is small and helpless and needs you.'
'I.'
'Promise!' she was the determined one now. She couldn't let him risk his life, he had too much to live for. More than ever before.
'I don't know if I can, I can't lose you,' he repeated, 'I've only just got you back, in my arms.' His voice cracked as he tried to keep a lid on his emotions.
'For Conner, please, for his sake, don't risk your life. He needs his father.'
He didn't reply, just held her tighter and pressed his lips to her hair, inhaling the scent of her. Eventually he grated out, 'I will always be there for Conner, I promise you that.'
That seemed to satisfy her, at least for the time being. She led him back to the bed and lay down, pulling him towards her. 'Just hold me, I need to feel you near.'
He complied eagerly, her lips sought out his as he pulled her close, searching for the comfort she could only find in his arms.
The kiss was bittersweet, they let their mutual anxiety seep into each other, sharing the pain. Together, everything seemed all that much easier to face. Cordelia found herself wishing she could stop time so she would never have to leave this room. Eternity in Angels' embrace would be her idea of heaven. Eventually though they moved apart. Before things got to heavy for either of them to stop.
Slightly breathless, she looked rumpled and sexy to Angel. He marvelled at the sight of her wondering how someone so vibrant, strong and caring could possibly want to be with him.
'What?' He was staring at her intensely.
'I love you.' His reply was simple, but it warmed her, calming her nervously beating heart.
'I love you too.'
'Soon, we will go home, to our son. Everything will be ok, I promise you.'
She knew he couldn't really promise that, that no one could ever know just how it would turn out but she clung to those words and repeated them over and over like a mantra. Everything will be ok.
***********
A loud crash awoke them some time later. They looked at each other for a split second before Angel got to his feet pulling on a shirt hastily. 'Stay here,' he whispered as he left the room, keeping to the shadows.
In the other room, he watched as Buffy executed a lethal kick to a repulsive demon that oozed brown slime, leaving a trail wherever it went. The demon fell back, but it did not stop its attack. It whirled around and caught Buffy in the back with a backhand. Angel could see the others trying to take on three more of these demons, being tossed aside like broken dolls, only to recover and charge at them one more time. Wesley appeared to be making the most damage and Angel was proud of the ex-watcher, the fighter that he had become.
'Time to help out,' he muttered before throwing himself into the fray, delivering punches and kicks that would have brought down most demons. These however were strong. He brought forth the demon in him, vamping out and drew on the extra strength it gave him but still the demons came. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Willow slumped unconscious on the floor. Wesley was still up, but nursing a badly torn arm, staving the demons attacks using his smaller size to outwit the demon.
A glow, comforting and warm filled the room. Angel looked away from his attackers briefly to see Cordy, hands raised, glowing, getting steadily brighter. The demons shrank away from the light, Buffy turned to see the source, eyes widening as she saw Cordelia. She held a hand in front of her face to shield her eyes from the intense white light that was now radiating from her entire being. The light grew blinding then winked out.
As their eyes grew accustomed to the sudden changed, they found the bodies of the three slain demons lay at their feet.
'What the hell.?' Xander was gazing at Cordelia, mouth wide open in shock.
'Shut your mouth Xander, you might catch a fly!' Cordy said wearily, slumping into a nearby chair. The glow thing really took it out of her.
'Are you ok? I thought I told you to stay in the bedroom!' Angel hurried to her side, concerning written clearly across his face.
'You looked like you need a little help.'
'What was that?' Xander was regarding her suspiciously, the confusion apparent on the Scoobies faces.
'Er.honestly? We're not really sure.' Cordelia laid her head on Angel's shoulder and closed her eyes. 'But it sure takes it out of you!'
'Its part of the demon side,' Wesley filled then in on the little knowledge they had. 'It seems that the intense light will fight and kill the specific targets without interfering or harming bystanders. I'm still researching others with the same ability.'
'A valuable power to possess.' The voice came from the doorway causing everyone to turn. 'The time has come Cordelia.' Lilah toyed with the crystal in her hands and she waited for a response.
'She is not going anywhere with you' Angel spat out, moving to shield Cordelia from Lilah's line of sight.
'Oh, on the contrary I believe. You see, I know that she already knows what will happen, as well as what can be prevented as long as she cooperates.'
'And you are?' Buffy's voice was icy, she pulled herself up to her full 5'2" , managing still to look intimidating in spite of her lack of height.
'Lilah Morgan, Wolfram and Hart. And you are Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer. I know all about you Miss Summers, and may I say, your history makes for quite fascinating reading.'
Buffy looked like she was on the verge of knocking Lilah unconscious. 'Give me one good reason why should have anything to do with you?' she replied, menacing intentions evident in every word she spoke.
'You needn't worry, you don't have to have anything to do with me. This is between me and the seer, no need to involve you at all.' She paused and made a swift analysis of the distance Angel kept from Buffy. 'I thought that you actually might be sympathetic to my cause. This union would leave Angel all to yourself, isn't that what you want?'
Angel growled softly and Lilah took half a step back. As cunning and manipulative as she was she wasn't stupid. She knew to keep her distance from the vampire who most certainly wished her dead, held back only a soul which niggled in the background, telling him he couldn't, that it was wrong to take human life no matter what they did.
Buffy hesitated, surprised at the part of her that agreed with this woman. She couldn't deny that she did want Cordelia gone, she was all that was keeping her and Angel apart, but she wouldn't wish a demon union on anyone, not even Cordelia. He voice was cold and calculated when she finally answered. 'What you are trying to do is wrong. And it is up to me to stop it, that's what I do.'
'You won't stop this.' Lilah was comfortable in her own confidence of the situation. 'Now, are you done hiding behind Angel?' she addressed Cordelia who was still seated, 'cos I'm kinda running on a schedule here.'
'She's not going with you!' Angel reiterated his earlier declaration, vamping out in his rage. Never had he felt a desire so strong to rip out someone's throat with his bare hands. Well, at least not since he had regained his soul.
'I don't think you quite understand the situation,' Lilah withdrew a crystal from her pocket. It gleamed in the soft light of the mansion, projecting spectrums of light onto the walls as light bounced off its flawless surfaces. 'Your son, I believe he is in LA still?' She feigned nonchalance, toying with the crystal as he spoke.
'So help me god, if you ever lay a finger on my son's head.'
'If she cooperates, I won't have to. If she continues to resist, well, shall we say that this crystal is the key. I expect you've realised what it triggers. Oh, and by the way, in case you have any enterprising ideas about destroying this one, there are several other crystals located in this dimension as well as others. I think even your father has one Cordelia, he has developed quite a taste for inflicting suffering on others. Anyway, I' m sure that you don't want to be responsible for poor Conner's eternal torment. He is after all, an innocent in all this.'
Cordelia rose shakily to her feet, her face determined, her shoulders slumped in resignation. 'I'll go with you.'
'Cordy, no!' Angel tried to protest but Cordelia silenced his pleas with a look, her eyes filled with love and trust.
'Angel I have to, I won't have Conner placed in danger. I'll be ok.'
'But.'
'I love you - don't forget about me.' Her eyes searched his until comprehended her meaning. She kissed him gently on the lips, grabbed her jacket from the chair where she had thrown it last night and went out into the sunlight, Lilah following wordlessly, a satisfied smirk distorting her handsome features.
Angel finally understood. He didn't like it but he understood. She was going willingly to stall them, trusting him completely to solve the situation and to make everything alright again. And he wouldn't fail her. Whatever it took he would save his family, he didn't think he could live without them.
Willow stirred on the floor, groggily returning from her unconscious state. 'What happened? Did I miss anything important?'
'Er. not too sure.' Buffy and Xander turned to Angel. 'Maybe you could explain just what happened. Why did she submit like that? We easily defeated those demons, a human shouldn't have caused us that much bother.'
'Because Conner is too important to Cordy for her to risk not cooperating.' Wesley spoke softly, still digesting what had just happened.
'Since when did Cordy put someone else above herself?' Xander's disbelief was evident.
'Since she became a mother to that someone else.' Angel replied breaking his gaze from the door that Cordy had exited. 'And we will save her, we are not going to let her down. She will be expecting us to solve this.'
'And we will, we always do.' Wesley tried to reassure the distraught vampire, who in the space of twenty-four hours had seen a happy life with a bright future dissolve into an uncertain mess.
'I know. My son will see his mother again, I swear.' With that he retreated into the bedroom.
Wesley broke the silence after a few seconds. 'Right, research. We only have fourteen hours left until the union takes place.' Everyone scurried back to what they were doing, leaving Wesley to his worried thoughts. He hoped that they wouldn't let Angel down. He didn't want to see the vampires wrath if Cordelia was killed.
Part 9
Underneath the High School Ruins – Sunnydale CA
She was surrounded by lit candles that flickered softly in the breeze. Her arms were bound behind her and she was tied to a heavy beam of wood that looked as though it might have once held up a ceiling. It seemed like hours had passed since they left her here. Her body had stopped cramping and was now just numb from lack of movement. She sighed and thought to herself, ‘a little demon power would be good right now.’ She wished she knew more about controlling them, so she could summon them at will. The Powers that Be were not helping much either. Apart from sending her several obscure visions that she had yet to determine the meaning of they had kept quiet. ‘You’d think that they would at least try to rescue me. After all I am their vision girl!’ He voice echoed, bouncing of the stone walls that surrounded her. She jumped as a voice replied.
‘Maybe they know that this is what is meant to be. You cannot fight fate after all.’
She looked up into brown eyes, very much like hers, but lacking warmth and compassion. She sighed. ‘Hello Daddy. So nice to see you again after all this time.’ Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she stared back at him defiantly, determined not to show her fear.
‘Cordelia. Looking very much worse for wear. I thought I taught you always to look your best for your Daddy.’
‘Yeah, well, that’s always difficult when your arms are tied behind your back. And anyway, I not your little girl anymore. I stopped doing what pleased you a long time ago.’
‘Come now, our little night time chats pleased me greatly. When you left I really missed those.’ He ran his fingers down her cheek, stopping for a moment to caress her neck as his eyes roamed her body.
‘I bet you did.’ Revulsion saturated her voice, she shuddered slightly as she remembered exactly what those ‘night time chats’ had entailed. ‘Nobody left for you to satisfy your needs on I suppose. You know, I almost feel sorry for Mom. At least I was able to leave, to get away from you. She never had the guts.’
‘Seems to me she had plenty of guts when she warned you about this.’ Cordelia‘s surprise was evident. ‘Yes, I know her every move, as I know yours for the past six months. Wolfram and Hart is a very resourceful company.’
‘So, is this my reward, for leaving you in your time of need? You lost everything including your little sex toy.’
‘You are my daughter. I wanted to ensure that you have a good, secure future. Exert you power over society. I brought you up for great things, I wouldn’t want to see all my work go to waste.’
‘And this is your idea of a good future. Making me mate with some demon?’
Raymond Chase shook his head, sighing at his daughter’s apparent naïvety. ‘You are young, too young to understand the bigger picture. One day though, you will understand and you will thank me for having such foresight. For helping you get over this ridiculous infatuation you have for the vampire and his child. Where you see that going I have no idea.’
‘You leave Angel out of this. And if you dare to hurt Conner I will personally see that you are killed.’ She showed no remorse for her words. After all he had put her through any love that might have been there was well and truly destroyed. All that was left was a hate so fierce that it burned inside.
‘You are in no position to threaten me.’
‘Who is the one about to comshuck a demon and gain unspeakable power and wealth?’ Her eyes flashed.
His hand struck with such force it caused her eyes to water. ‘Silence girl! You are out of line. And I never said anything about wealth or power. That part is all mine.’
‘Always about the money. I don’t think there is a shred of emotion in you. You’ve probably never had a feeling other that greed in your life.’
‘You know, she’s probably right. But it makes you one hell of a business man.’ Lilah entered the room and set her briefcase down on the ground. ‘The time has come. I will prepare you Cordelia so that you know exactly what to do. We don’t want any hiccups in the process.’
Cordelia was beginning to panic. She had ultimate faith in Angel and his ability to save her. She had been waiting for his heroic ‘save the damsel in distress’ routine for hours now but he had not showed. She was almost certain that it had nothing to do Buffy, although she could almost see the Slayer pleading with the vampire not to go rushing in to save her and get himself killed. No, if anything was holding him up it was the threat to Conner and she would rather that she was sacrificed than any harm come to that baby. She turned her attention back to what Lilah was saying, trying not to look towards the entrance to many times.
‘He’s not coming to save you.’ Lilah caught one of the furtive glances. ‘The child means more to him than you ever will. You may as well just get on with it.’
‘Ok, what do you want me to do?’ Cordelia’s voice was toneless as she stared sullenly at the lawyer.
‘The demon requires a mind link to unite his body with yours. He will enter your subconscious and draw from your human thoughts and feelings. To do this you must submit willingly to his probing. Apparently he finds it quite erotic, so after the mental union is completed he will mate with you, in the normal way I’m told, and he will impregnate you with two of his spawn. Then you are his to do with as he pleases. I’m afraid I cannot say what will happen to you after that. I don’t think you’ll object much though. The mental union will leave you pretty much like a vegetable. Too much for a human to handle.’
Cordelia narrowed her eyes. ‘What’s in it for you? Why are bothering to help this particular demon?’
‘After he has united with you he will have enough power to open the Hellmouth. Our deal with him is that we will oversee the humans that remain after this has taken place. Unspeakable wealth and power will be ours. Call me materialistic, but all that money is just too good to ignore.’ Lilah ran her fingers over her hips sensuously as she imagined the power. God it turned her on.
‘Please tell me I was never like her about money,’ Cordelia thought to herself. ‘Why me?’ She spoke aloud. ‘Why me and not some homeless person who has nothing to lose?’
Her father replied. ‘I needed cash, they needed a human. It was a fair exchange. I got extra too. A bonus for having a good-looking child. Although now, I’m starting to question that.’
Her father’s jibes at her apparent loss of glamour and perfection fell on deaf ears. She didn’t care what he had to say or what he thought. She could remember, as a little girl running home with a pretty card that she had made for him at school or a trophy for best groomed horse and rider in the local gymkhana hoping for a well done or a beam of pride. She never got one. In fact, she could have been invisible to him until she hit puberty. Then he wanted other things from her. Things she wasn’t ready to give but he took anyway. Silent tears coursed down her face as his ultimate betrayal hit her. This man wasn’t her father. He was a monster that happened to have been present at her conception.
‘Don’t cry now honey. It’ll all be over soon. And you will have finally made me proud to call you my daughter. I always knew my daughter’s wedding day would be a significant moment in my life.’
Even Lilah was taken aback at his lack of compassion, but she didn’t let it faze her. She signalled to two hefty looking men that had entered with her. They untied Cordelia’s bindings and jostled her out of the room between them.
Lilah turned on her heel and followed. ‘This should be interesting,’ she muttered to herself quietly. She alone knew of Cordelia’s new status as part demon. She had taken great pains to remove all surveillance tapes mentioning the fact before others viewed them. She wasn’t quite sure why she was helping the ex-cheerleader. She wasn’t even sure if it would make a difference. She supposed she saw a little of herself in the strong confident young woman. She knew how hard it was to survive in this world as the ‘lesser’ sex. She was all for giving the girl a fighting chance.
***********
Angel’s Mansion – Sunnydale CA
We’re running out of time. Wesley, do you have anything?’ Angel’s voice rose in his desperation. God only knows what Cordelia was going through. It had been hours since they took her and they were nowhere nearer to finding a solution. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so helpless. His normal course of action usually involved hitting the bad thing until it went away. He wasn’t cut out for this waiting around game. Not when it came to the ones he loved.
‘I’ve found lots of references to both the ritual and the curse they used on Conner but nothing indicates as to what might stop it. There must be some kind of antidote or maybe a protection spell. If only we knew more magick.’
‘Will?’ Buffy looked at her friend questioningly. She knew the retired Wicca would find it hard to return to her non-magick functioning ways if she did perform a spell, but it was fast becoming their only hope. She could almost hear Willow in her head, begging her not to let her be their only hope. ‘Find another hope,’ she had once said to her just before they faced Glory and Buffy had sacrificed herself for her sister. But Willow had come through then and she had no doubt that she would rise to the occasion now, if required.
‘I suppose a protection spell. Maybe some kind of barrier could be constructed around Conner, to block any transmissions that may be sent, magickally or otherwise.’
‘And you can do this?’ Wesley peered at her from his position across the room, ‘that just might work,’ he muttered to himself as an idea formed in his brain. He pulled a book from under the pile that had formed in front of him and started to flick through it excitedly. ‘You can perform these spells? I didn’t realise how much power you had obtained.’
‘Wes?’ Angel saw a glimmer of hope in the ex-watcher’s eyes and allowed himself to relax slightly. Maybe now he could do something about the situation.
‘I’d ignored this book earlier because, well it requires someone, a trained Wicca with the ability to channel a force for a long period of time. I didn’t think we had the capabilities between us to do that. But if Willow is as powerful as I think she must be…’ he trailed off as he became engrossed in the text before him.
‘I don’t like this plan.’ Xander announced from the floor, where he was seated, Indian style, a book on his lap.
‘If it saves Cordelia, I don’t care what you think.’ Angel snarled at the boy who had always grated on his nerves. He never saw quite what Cordy had seen in him. He supposed that Xander showed considerable courage in the face of evil, particularly when he didn’t have any particular line of defence but he still annoyed him.
‘Willow, you can’t handle this amount of power. Look where it got you last time.’ Xander insisted.
‘Will? It’s up to you.’ Buffy glared at Xander before turning her attention back to Willow, concern and understanding evident on her face.
‘I’ll do it. It’s not like the magick before. This type of spell will draw from natural magick. I shouldn’t get swept under. I hope…’ She hit the save button on her laptop, so she wouldn’t lose the information she had found on the internet and crossed over to Wesley to read over his shoulder. ‘What do I have to do?’
‘Will, think about this, what if you lose control again.’ Xander was not going to let this one go.
Willow turned to face him. She understood his concern, she even agreed with him up to a point, but it was the only option they had come up with and they were fast running out of time. ‘Xander, I can’t let Cordy succumb to this demon knowing that I could have at least tried to help her. I owe it to her.’
‘You don’t owe her anything. Do you think she would put herself in danger to save you?’
Willow held up her hand to stop Angel’s tirade, sensing that the vampire’s annoyance was quickly escalating to anger. Directed solely at Xander. ‘Actually, I do owe her. I owe her for causing her to be impaled by a rebar. For cheating on her. So do you.’
‘This is Cordelia we’re talking about. It wasn’t like I broke her heart. She didn’t really love me, it was just a thing we had. Fuelled by the danger and the sexiness of hiding in dark closets. That always leads to groping and sweaty body parts.’ Xander looked guilty. He didn’t really like to be reminded of that night when Cordelia had fallen through weak floorboards in an attempt to flee the sight of him and Willow together on the bed. He had tried to make it up to her, with flowers and chocolates, buying her prom dress for her and keeping quiet about her money problems. He had almost convinced himself that it was all ok, that he wasn’t to blame.
He jumped as a powerful arm grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pinned him against the wall. He found himself staring into the enraged eyes of Angel that flickered from brown to yellow as he tried to contain his anger. ‘You broke her heart,’ he hissed, ‘I for one, will never forgive you for that.’
‘Angel!’ Buffy’s sharp reprimand cut the tension. ‘This isn’t helping matters, put Xander down. We will try to help Cordelia, but we need to work together. I want you to go to the magic store and get these supplies.’ She waved a piece of paper in her hand.
He slowly let him slide to the floor before turning to Buffy. ‘I stopped taking orders from you a long time ago,’ he said, a distant look in his eyes. ‘Wesley calls the shots for me, not you.’
‘Fine!’ She glared back, not allowing him to see how much his words had stung. ‘There was a time when you would have done anything for me. Obviously things have changed.’
‘Obviously!’ he shot back and then sighed, regretting his sharp tone. ‘Look, right now all that matters is saving Cordy. I know that you have a lot of stuff to work through and I know that you want explanations which I will try to give you after this is over but if anything happens to Cordelia…’he trailed off, his voice cracking as his worry overtook him. ‘I can’t lose her,’ he whispered, dropping onto the couch looking to Wesley for reassurance like a small child would to his parents after his favourite dog had gone missing.
In spite of herself, Buffy’s heart went out to him. She had never seen him look so terrified of losing something. She crouched down in front of him and took his cold hands him hers. ‘We will fight this and we will win. We always do. Cordelia will be back here annoying everyone before you know it.’
Angel merely stared at her hope flickering in his eyes at her words.
***********
High School Ruins – Sunnydale CA
Cordelia shuddered as she looked around her. She was bound to a carved wooden throne that had been upholstered in red velvet, gold studs holding the material in place. ‘Not nearly as nice as my last throne. And they didn’t give me a sexy Princess Leia outfit to wear!’ she thought to herself as she tried to take her mind of what was happening before her.
Human sacrifices had been bound flat to several tables. There were seven of them in all, one for each century the demon had lived. Presented as wedding gifts to her and her new husband to be, they had be tortured in front of her, their screams of agony still echoed in her ears. They were silent now, she wasn’t sure whether they were dead or had just passed out from the pain. She hoped for the latter, although surely nobody would want to live after what had been done to them.
The demon seated next to her smiled smugly, or a least one of his heads did. The other two seemed distinctly bored now that the torture was over. She had pleased him greatly it seemed and her father had been well praised for his choice. His pleased face nodded to the lackeys that had brought her to this place. They moved forward, picked up her throne between then and moved it so she was now sitting face to face with the demon. Her stomach turned as the smell of his vile breath reached her. She forced herself to remain impassive. Surely Angel would turn up now, he was cutting it a little fine but he always turned up in the end. She only hoped that nothing had happened to Conner, that would be the only thing that would prevent him from saving her.
Lilah’s hesitant voice rang out from across the cavern. ‘But, Sir. It is not yet midnight. There is still twenty minutes…’
‘Enough waiting. Only tradition stated that midnight is the time and tradition bores me. It will happen now. I feel that the time it right.’
‘Trust me to get a radical demon. It’s just to much to ask that he be a diehard traditionalist, conservative, pay your taxes on time demon and follow the rules.’ She tested her bindings subtly, panic growing as the demon reached towards her.
‘Silence girl. You are ruining the mood.’ The demon ran his fingers down her cheek, drawing blood as his fingernails sliced through her skin, smiling as she winced.
‘Sorry, didn’t realise you needed a mood. Maybe I should get them to get some roses and wine. All these candles create a really romantic setting. Hey, we could even get a solo sax player, turn it into a real raunchy moment.’ She was trying to stall him by getting him mad but it wasn’t working. The sickening smile remained plastered on his middle head and the other two were beginning to look interested now. She could see Lilah toying with the crystal that dictated Conner’s future and she knew that this was it. No-one was coming to save her as they would all be waiting for midnight and she couldn’t save herself without endangering Conner.
She sighed and resigned herself to her fate. She looked at the demon her gaze steady, cold and impassive as her emotions shut themselves down. ‘Come on then, get on with it.’
‘Gladly. I have waited all my life for this moment, soon it will open and all hell will be released on earth.’ He placed both hands on her temples and closed his eyes. A red glow began to radiate from the area where their skins met.
‘I love you Angel,’ Cordelia whispered as piercing pain lanced through her skull. She cried out at the intense pain, losing all coherent thought as chaos spread its corrupting fingers across her skull. The demon’s cries of ecstasy mingled with hers of pain as the light grew steadily brighter and the humans in the room shielded their eyes and covered their ears.
***********
Angel’s Mansion – Sunnydale CA
Angel’s head snapped up as he felt a lance of pain shoot through his skull. ‘It’s happening,’ he whispered, a strange panicked look on his face. ‘It’s happening. We’re going to be too late!’
Part 10
Angel’s Mansion - Sunnydale CA
Buffy looked at Angel, confusion written over her features. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I can feel it’ he whispered. ‘I can feel what they are doing to her.’ His eyes echoed the desperate helplessness and fear that he felt. He grabbed his leather duster and headed towards the door. ‘They are at the school.’ He called over his shoulder before the door slammed shut behind him.
The others stared at each other as the squeal of tires signalled Angel’s departure. Wesley was the first to react, breaking the silence and barking orders at everyone.
‘Buffy, you come with me to the school. Willow get started on that protection spell, Anya help her, the sooner it is up and running the better. Xander, get my cell phone from my room.’ Xander hurried off returning with the small object on which Wesley hit speed dial 1.
As he waited for someone to pick up on the other end he indicated to Buffy and Xander to follow him out of the door. No-one even questioned his authority, his quiet commanding response to the situation giving everyone a sense of purpose. A feeling that everything would work out ok as long as they did what they were told.
‘Hello?’ Fred’s voice came on the other end of the line.
‘Fred, its Wesley. It’s started, earlier that we expected. Willow is getting started on the protection spell but I am unsure of what effect it will have on the surrounding area. Make sure that Conner is fed etc. It is possible that you won’t be able to touch him until this is over.’
‘Ok. Where are Cordy and Angel?’
‘They have taken Cordy. We couldn’t stop it. Our only hope now is that Angel can get to her in time to stop the demon completing the union. If not, then the world is probably doomed.’
Fred was silent for a split second as she digested that bit of disturbing information. Finally she just whispered, ‘good luck Wesley. I make sure everything is taken care of here. Don’t you worry about us ok?’
‘Thank you Fred.’ He cut the connection and prayed that everything would be ok as he watched the perfect white-picket fenced houses flash by as Xander drove through the town, its residents slumbering on, oblivious to the danger. Sometimes Wesley envied their lifestyle. How nice it would be not to have the survival of mankind resting on your shoulders.
***********
High School Ruins - Sunnydale CA
Angel burst through the entrance to the school, knocking one of the doors of it’s hinges in his haste to get to Cordelia. He had gone into rescue mode, completely focused on the problem not allowing himself to imagine what might have happened to Cordelia in the short time it had taken him to get there, pushing down the panic that threatened to overwhelm him every time his mind wandered. He stopped for a spilt second, surveying his surroundings before catching a trace of Cordelia’s unique aroma. He would spot it in a crowd of thousands. He turned and headed towards the source, the smell getting stronger as he approached the ritual room.
Peering through the window of the door he silently surveyed the scene. He could see Lilah, whose attention was focused on something out of his view. She was composed as always, but something about her stance indicated that she seemed apprehensive about something, as though waiting for something to go wrong. Several others were in the room, their attention also focused on the unseen, expressions of controlled excitement present on every one of them as they shielded their eyes from a bright red light that radiated from an unseen point.
He could have been cautious, waited and judged the best way to go about entering the room. But Cordelia was in there, common sense was not really a priority. With a feral cry he burst into the room, lashing out with hands and feet at the first thing that attacked him. The bystanders in the room moved to form a protective circle around the demon and Cordelia but Angel would not be stopped. One by one he disposed of them, a carefully placed, lethal blow here and a neck crack there until he reached the blinding glow that was Cordelia. He reached out to pull her from the demons grasp only to be thrown across the room by a power so strong he had felt nothing like it before.
Lilah look at him coldly from his position on the floor. ‘You cannot stop it now. It has gone too far.’
‘What is happening to her?’ he growled, rising to his feet and pushing her back against a wall. ‘What have you done?’
‘It wasn’t me. The union can only take place with two consenting sides. I guess the prospect of power was too much even for your precious seer. Everyone has their limits.’
He back handed her across the face, causing an angry red mark to appear. ‘Shut up!’ he snarled as he turned once more to look at his seer. Her face was contorted in pain, the demon beside her creased with ecstasy. He attacked the barrier surrounding them with renewed energy but found himself thrown back again, his back cracking as he hit the wall.
He felt a well of helplessness grow inside him as he sat watching her. The intense red light made it hard to see anything but silhouettes but Angel could make out her beautiful features, twisted by agony as the demon violated her mind.
He was dimly aware that Wesley had arrived, Buffy and Xander in tow and had begun taking on the bystanders that Angel had not taken out. Each were involved in their own personal battle, but he made no move to help them. Transfixed by the light at which Cordelia was the core, his brain went into overtime, desperately trying to come up with a plan. He couldn’t let this happen. The thought of losing her ripped through his gut like a sharp knife, the battles surrounding him blurred as he focused on the one person who he could not live without. Pulling himself to his feet he crossed over to the light, standing as close as the force field would allow. Staring at the girl who had become his universe he willed her not to give up, yelling to be heard over the wails that filled the room.
‘Cordelia….Cordy, you can fight this. Please don’t give in. Conner needs you….I need you. Don’t leave me here by myself; I can’t do it without you...'
His cries echoed the love and anguish he felt and seemed to pierce through the noise of the fighting. Buffy shoved her opponent across the room and turned to look at her former lover. Her heart broke at the look on his face and realisation settled over her like a damp coarse blanket. Angel was no longer hers. She had lost him to her. The one person she had always been in competition with. But this was no Homecoming crown, trivial in the grand scheme of things but desired none the less. This was her soul mate that Cordelia had won over. And whilst she would do everything in her power to save Cordelia, she would be doing it for him. Always for him.
***********
Cordelia had never felt such intense pain. Not when Wolfram and Hart imposed visions on her that caused physical injury, not when Vocah invaded her head and inflicted the pain of the world on her. She felt herself succumbing to the demon’s will as she sunk further into her pain induced haze, her head falling back as the demon increased the pressure. Slowly she could feel herself changing. Her soul was dying as the demon took over and she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. For death. Dimly, she could hear others in the room. Sounds of battle reached her as though she was partitioned from them by thick sheets of glass, muffled and detached. Nothing was clear any more. Except for one thing. Quiet at first, so quiet that she struggled to hear it, a voice pleaded with her not to give up, to fight. ‘…please don’t give in…' the voice grew louder, more intense ‘…I need you. Don’t leave me here by myself…’. Something in her mind clicked. Clarity came to her as though someone had opened a window and let in a blast of icy air, waking her up, bringing her to her senses.
‘Angel?’ she whispered. A sudden fierce desire not to die overwhelmed her. She was Cordelia Chase, half demoness seer who could stand up to outer forces playing with her head. She had a family who needed her, a home to go to.
‘Ok buddy, you’ve had your fun. Now I fight back!’ Her eyes flared with anger as she focused on pushing the demon back.
The red light that filled the room lightened, turning a light pink then fading to a brilliant white that was blinding in its radiance. The demon’s three heads howled their outrage as the light took over. The smell of scorched demon skin filled the air as Cordelia’s power intensified.
Raymond Chase looked on in horror. What was happening, what was going wrong? He turned to see Lilah backing slowly out of the room. He seized her by the arm and snarled, ‘what is happening? This isn’t right!’
She shrugged, ‘There is more to Cordelia Chase than meets the eye.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean? Come back here!’ he yelled after her retreating form. He turned back to his daughter. The glow was beginning to fade. As his vision adjusted he could see her, still standing, tiredly looking at the charred demon that lay in front of her. The remains of Baphomet, his ticket to the power he had dreamed of for so long lay in front of her. Rage clouded his head. He despised his daughter more than he thought possible at that moment. Ever since she was born she had been nothing but an expensive waste of space.
‘You…’ he snarled at her. Cordelia looked around, her gaze settled on her father, emotionless and cold. He took a step towards her pointing an accusing finger. ‘You never could do anything right. You were a useless, expensive mistake that I paid for for seventeen years. And then, when I finally have the change to use you, to get back some of what you owe me once again you fail. I gave you the wrong name at birth, Calamity fits you better.’ He snatched up an axe from a nearby table, ‘I should have got rid of you a long time ago.’
Angel growled from his position near Cordelia, she stilled him with a warning hand indicating that she wanted to deal with this. That she had to have this out once and for all.
‘Daddy…’ she started cautiously.
‘You are no child of mine!’ he spat as he advanced towards her.
The axe swung wildly in her direction, she ducked as it sailed over her head and caught her Father’s shoulders as she straightened up. A bright glow surrounded them as she cleansed his soul of the evil that had taken up residence there. Warmth and comfort filled the room even as the light dimmed. Raymond Chase looked at the beautiful women standing before him as though seeing her for the first time. Comprehension of just what he had done hit him full force causing him to gasp for air.
‘Cordelia…Cordy, my baby girl, what have I done to you…?’ he trailed off, no longer sure of anything.
‘I have cleansed you, I hope that you will use this opportunity to start again, get out of California, as far away from me as possible. Not many people get a second chance, remember that.’
‘But Cordy…’ he tried to interrupt but was silenced by her hand. Tears formed behind her eyes as she looked at her Father, wishing for what might have been.
‘Daddy, I am sorry I was such a disappointment to you. I tried my best. I know that you never wanted me and I tried so hard to please you so that you might change your mind, if only for a moment. But I am grown up now. I am wiser, I see the bitter sick twisted man that you are. I never needed you or your approval. I have made it just fine on my own and will continue to do so. I no longer have any parents, who needs them if they are willing to sell their own flesh and blood just for a bit of cash. I pity you Daddy, that’s all the emotion I have left for you.’ She faltered as the strain of using so much of her power washed over her. She felt drained, weak hardly able to stand. ‘Goodbye Father, I hope that one day you will find a better way of life.’
She turned to find Angel behind her, love and respect shining from his eyes. ‘Take me home?’ she whispered as her legs gave way. He scooped her up and gently cradled her against his chest. Kissing her forehead softly he whispered ‘I love you’ before turning to the others. ‘Let’s go.’ Wesley shouldered his weapon and followed his friend, Buffy and Xander bringing up the rear.
Raymond Chase fell to his knees, despair overtaking him.
Part 11
High School Ruins - Sunnydale CA
Cordelia burrowed further into Angel’s chest as he carried her to his convertible, parked haphazardly in front of the entrance. She sighed softly and he shivered as her breath tickled his neck. Tightening his arms he drew her even closer. He let her feet drop to the ground and pressed the length of his body to hers, supporting her weight as she sunk into his embrace.
‘I though I’d lost you,’ he whispered, his voice husky with emotion as he buried his face in the warm curve of her neck, listening to the sound of blood that flowed just beneath the surface of her skin, the sound that told him she was alive, well and by his side.
He felt the wet of her tears against his skin as she struggled not to break down, not to show weakness in front of the others. ‘Hey…’ he spoke softly as he lifted her face so he could look into her eyes taking an involuntary breath at the quiet anguish that showed there. ‘It’s going to be ok, I will make it ok…’
She smiled faintly as his words warmed her heart, wrapping around her like a cocoon of comfort. He was right. As long as he was with her it would be ok. Time would heal wounds inflicted by her parents, by others that had stood by and watched her become a victim. She was strong, she had the love of a great man…pire, a family and the best life that she could have ever wished for.
‘I love you Angel,’ she whispered, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. The lips widened into a smile, relief coursing through him. She was going to be ok.
He looked over at Wesley who flipped his cell phone shut, ending a call. ‘Conner?’ Angel’s voice held an anxious tone.
‘He’s fine, sound asleep in his cot,’ Wesley’s face relaxed into a satisfied smile. ‘We’ve done it, one more apocalypse averted, the world lives on.’
‘Let’s go home, I want to see my son.’ He carefully placed Cordelia in the passenger seat as Wesley climbed in the back. Angel turned to glance at Buffy and Xander who were standing in the doorway to the school. ‘We’ll meet you back at the mansion?’
Buffy came forward, nodding slowly. ‘We need to talk.’
Angel nodded his assent, ‘Later, when we get back.’ He put the car in gear and accelerated away, least she protested. He would talk to her soon, but right now he wanted to be with his family.
‘Come on, let’s go.’ Xander grumbled as he climbed into his car. He turned to look at the small blonde preoccupied with her thoughts. ‘Is it me or are these apocalypses starting to seem a bit inconsequential to you?’
***********
Angel’s Mansion – Sunnydale CA
The day had passed uneventfully. Waiting for nightfall so that they could return to LA, Cordelia and Wesley played cards in front of the fire whilst Angel lazed in a nearby chair, his gaze fixed on Cordelia. They had returned to the mansion to find that her mother had disappeared, a note explaining that she couldn’t stay and she didn’t know when she would be in touch had been left pinned to the front door. Although Cordy had been sad things between them hadn’t improved Angel knew that she no longer needed her mother. Not when she had them. He shifted his position and returned to his favourite pastime. Watching his seer.
‘Quit staring at me, it’s getting creepy!’ she admonished him playfully. ‘And Wesley, that’s the second time you’ve switched your cards when I’m not looking. Stop cheating!’
‘I did not!’
‘Did too! All-seeing Seer here, not to mention part demon. Also, the nervous look in your eyes tends to give the game away, not much of a poker player are you. My advice to you Wes, never go to Las Vegas. You’ll come home a penniless man!’ She placed her row of cards down on the table triumphant. ‘Full House!’
‘How did you do that?’ Wesley cried indignantly. ‘I think I’m not the only one cheating you know!’
‘Sore loser Wes?’
‘No…’
Angel tuned out their harmless banter letting the familiar feeling of contentment wash over him. He still had a lot to atone for, a lot of guilt to work through but with his family by his side, he knew that he would get there.
A sharp knock at the door startled him out of his reverie. Wesley placed the cards he was holding on the table and crossed to answer it. They were all there. Buffy, Xander, Willow, even Dawn and Anya. Cordelia smiled from her position by the fire and tried not to let her apprehension show. Buffy’s eyes were fixed on Angel who had suddenly become particularly interested in the weave of the rug that lay beneath his feet.
Xander shifted nervously as he racked his brains for something to say that would not cause havoc, not upset the fragile atmosphere that hung between them. He suddenly noticed their positions, LA on one side Sunnydale on the other, lined up as though ready for battle, city versus town. He cleared his throat slightly and chuckled uneasily. ‘Well, isn’t this fun! All of us, here together…in the same room…together…ummm…’ he trailed off as Buffy closed the distance between her and Angel, taking his hand lightly in hers.
‘We need to talk.’ Her voice was soft, eyes full of hope as he looked up at her. Gently he removed his hand from hers and nodded.
‘Ok.’
‘In private?’ she motioned to the kitchen with her head. He sighed slightly, stood and followed her retreating form. As he reached the doorway he turned to look at Cordelia. She tried to hide her unease but the stiffness of her back betrayed her. He crossed back to her and whispered in her ear, ‘don’t worry, I love you. I just have to do this.’ She nodded and he kissed her forehead gently before trailing after Buffy, his reluctance to have this conversation obvious.
Cordelia understood, but it didn’t mean she had to like it. The sooner they were back in LA the better as far as she was concerned. She did not belong in this town any more. She had outgrown it and moved on.
‘Will you be leaving soon?’ Willow’s question startled her. She had forgotten they were in the room.
‘As soon as the sun sets, Angel wants to get back to his son.’ I want to get back his son.
‘It seems a little odd, all of us being together again. So much has changed.’
Cordelia smiled at that. Willow was so right. They were grown up, people in their own right making lives for themselves as best they could with what was available to them. But still she wondered, if she hadn’t left, if she had stayed in Sunnydale working at the Salon and fighting Buffy’s fight, how would things have been different.
‘It’s funny how things turned out. Don’t you ever wonder, whether are lives are mapped out for us? Maybe we have no control over what happens to us, no matter how much we try things always ending in the same way. I guess that’s what they call fate.’ Cordelia’s word struck a chord in all of them. In a way it was comforting, to think that the mistakes that had been made in the past were merely directions to get them to this point, each event triggering another and another.
‘I don’t know whether I believe in fate,’ Willow said slowly, ‘but one thing I do believe in is starting again. And that’s what I would like with you Cordy, to start over, to get to know you, maybe even become friends. There’s not many people in the world that deal with the stuff we do, we need to stick together, not bitch and fight over petty things.’
Cordelia’s smile lit up her face, casting aside the shadows that had settled there over the past few days. ‘Willow, you have become a truly special person, I would be honoured to call you my friend.’ She embraced the petite red head warmly.
‘Well good! And don’t leave it so long to get in touch next time.’ Willow responded scolding playfully.
***********
The kitchen was cold after the fireside and Angel shivered involuntarily. Buffy had her back to him, her fingers traced the work surface as she tried to think of the right words to start. To express what she wanted to say. She turned to look at him, handsome as ever in the dull light that filled the room, watching her with guarded eyes as he waited for her to say something. Silence stretched between them, neither wanted to start the conversation, both afraid of what might happen.
‘Angel…’ she began tentatively.
‘Buffy,’ he interrupted her before she could get any further. ‘I don’t want to make this hard for you, but you have to understand.’
‘Understand what? That we belong together, that no matter how hard we try we can’t stop loving each other no matter who or what we place in each others way? I understand Angel, I did the same with Riley. I thought that if I tried to be with someone else I would learn to forget you, to move on.’
‘I have moved on.’
‘Really? Do you really believe that? Tell me you don’t look at me and feel love so strong, so powerful that it hurts in its intensity, that your heart doesn’t feel warm and full. You feel that Angel, the passion, the overwhelming sense of rightness and love. I know you feel those emotions.’
‘You’re right, I do feel that. But no longer when I look at you, those emotions appear when I watch someone else now.’ Angel waited, trying to judge her reaction.
‘You’re lying,’ she accused as her eyes narrowed reproachfully. ‘You’re trying to save me, my feelings again just like last time, when you walked away.’
Angel sighed, for an intelligent woman she seemed to have trouble grasping concepts that she didn’t want to hear. Maybe it was a defence reflex but he suddenly grew tired of it. Tired of creeping around her feelings so as to spare her pain. ‘This is how it is Buffy. I love Cordelia. I’m sorry if you can’t be happy for me.’
‘You’re not sorry, you have chosen who you want and moved on, you don’t care who you hurt in the process.’
He sighed, and replied quietly, ‘I am sorry Buffy, whether you believe it or not. I am sorry for the pain I have caused you. I hope that you will forgive me someday, we may no longer be together but I would regret losing you as a friend. You are a part of my life and one that I want to remember with fondness. I hope that you can do the same.’ He gazed at her for a long moment before turning and returning to the warmth of the fireside.
Forgiveness did not come easily to Buffy but she forgave Angel in an instance. Although he had betrayed her, she had done the same to him. She had neglected him since her return from the dead so he had turned to the nearest person for comfort. At this moment in time he wanted to be with Cordelia, so that’s what she would accept. But soon he would realise the mistake, realise that they were meant to be. And she was certain that one day, he would return to her and they would live the fairytale ending she dreamed of. She turned to return to the living room vowing silently to herself, ‘I will get you back, my Angel.’
***********
Angel returned to find that Cordy and Wes had brought the luggage to the front door. Xander and Willow stood next to them whilst the others hovered in the background, looking as though they were impatient to go. Angel was right there with them, he could wait to get out of this town. It held too many memories, too much pain.
‘Sun’s down,’ Wesley indicated to the window. ‘We should get going. Don’t want to be too late getting back.’
Angel nodded. ‘Let’s get out of here. Have you got everything?’
‘Yes, I think so. There doesn’t seem to be anything left. Cordy, did you pack Angel’s stuff?’
She nodded, eyes fixed on the weaved handle of the bag she was absentmindedly pulling strands out of. Angel could feel her apprehension, as though she was waiting for the bomb to drop, for him to say he had made a mistake and was still in love with Buffy. He crossed to stand in front of her and lifted her chin until her gaze met his own, smouldering with love and desire.
The strength of emotion that lay there made her gasp. In an instance, she relaxed. She didn’t know how she had earned the love of this wonderful man but she was so grateful that he had walked back into her life those three years ago. She couldn’t imagine life without him.
He placed a soft kiss on her lips and smiled as she squeezed his hands in hers. ‘I love you,’ he whispered, ‘never forget that.’
‘I love you too.’
‘Come on, we have a son waiting. Let’s go home.’
She climbed into the passenger seat of the convertible, Wes in the back, Angel taking his place behind the wheel.
Xander impulsively stepped forward and hugged Cordelia awkwardly over the side of the car. ‘Take care of yourself, don’t let Deadboy hurt you, if he does you know where I am.’
Cordy rolled her eyes, ‘he’s not going to hurt me and don’t call him that!’ she scolded but she smiled as she did. ‘You take care Xander, keep in touch. You too Willow, bye Dawn, keep up the good fashion sense and Anya, take care of Xander for me. You know how trouble seems to track him down!’
‘Hey!’ Xander protested as Anya nodded her head vigorously.
Angel pulled away and Cordelia sank back into the worn leather sighing contentedly as she looked up at the newly appeared stars. They had defeated the evil, formed a truce and the start of friendship with the Scoobies, they were going home and Angel loved her. There wasn’t a place she would rather be right at that moment. Angel slung his free arm around her shoulders, pulled her to his side and drove onto the freeway. Now Leaving Sunnydale the sign read. She smiled.
***********
Epilogue
Angel’s Room – The Hyperion LA
Conner lay between them, an atmosphere of familiarity and comfort softening the muted light of the room.
‘I think he’s asleep.’ Cordy whispered as she leaned across to observe Conner’s tiny baby features.
‘At last, I didn’t think he was ever going to drop off.’ Angel shifted, carefully lifted his son and placed him in the bassinet that was set next to the bed. He looked back at the beautiful woman that lay across from him and suddenly found there was too much distance between them. ‘Come here…’ he spoke softly and she scooted across leaning into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her, solid and strong.
‘Cordy…there are so many things I can’t give you, so many things that a beautiful and caring woman like you should have, deserve…’
He was silenced by her kiss. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. ‘I don’t care about all that stuff. All I need, all that I care for is here…in this room. Please don’t feel guilty about depriving me of things I don’t even want. We will take one day at a time, support each other and whatever happens, happens. As long as I have you I can face anything.’
Angel’s heart felt like it would burst, the moment was bittersweet, yearning for what they couldn’t have yet thankful for what they did. He pulled her tighter as his lips descended on hers. Desperate in their need to feel each other, the kiss deepened, passion started to overtake them. Intense desire flashed through Angel and he pulled back, taking unnecessary breaths. Cordy looked up at him, hair rumpled, lips swollen. His eyes were liquid pools of desire, piercing into her own.
‘Maybe we need to look into that curse of yours!’ she stated flatly as she tried to regain her composure. Her body ached to be touched by him again, she marvelled at the way he made her feel.
‘Get some rest, we will worry about that in the morning.’ He kissed her again, this time slow and sweet. She responded for a second before pulling away and snuggling into his side.
‘Goodnight Angel.’
‘Goodnight my love.’
***********
Outside the nightlife of the city hummed. Sirens sounded in the distance, neon signs flashed their adverts, enticing passers-by into bars and clubs. And in a room in an old hotel, a couple slept on oblivious, wrapped in each others arms whilst a baby murmured in it’s sleep.
End.