Title: The Long Walk (Parts 1,2,3/?)
Author: Razzieal
Content: A/C, F/G.
Summary:After the earthquake that rocks L.A.. Cordy gets a phone call from Fred, who fills her in on the current situation. Then Cordy gets a vision of Angel alone and dying, she rushes to save him and is faced with the possibility of losing him forever just as she realizes what she truly feels for him.
Spoilers: .Anytime after Couplet, filled with rumors and unconfirmed spoilers
Disclaimer: I don't own none of this, so don't bother suing me!
Note: This story will rotate POV's, going from Cordy to Angel and back again
"Take Groo someplace nice.someplace where there's.sun. You'd like that."
"No, I'm good.didn't hurt a bit."
It's been 3 days. And his words still haunt me, and for the life of me I can 't figure out why. Why would he give me that money? Why would he send me away? To be with Groo, to have sex with Groo. A person that I know for a fact that he doesn't really like. Only tolerates for my benefit, because he thinks I love Groo. Which is so not the case. I mean Groo is a hottie, and he's sweet and honest, and there is absolutely a physical attraction. But that's it.
And then I get phone call from Fred, and my entire world comes crashing down. The Hyperion was nearly destroyed in an earthquake; Gunn and Lorne were very nearly killed. Wes has gone missing and Angel.well, Fred said Angel has.shut himself off because poor Connor had been kidnapped. My little boy.and yes I consider that child mine. I don't care that Darla carried him or staked herself to bring him into this world, well I'm thankful that she allowed him to be born, but he's mine. I love that child more then life itself, and just like I would do for his father, I would sacrifice my life to save him.
So now I have tell Groo that we're going back home. Because my family needs me. Connor needs me and my Angel needs me. Yes dammit! He's my Angel now. I don't care what anyone says, not anyone in Sunnydale or some undead blonde bitch. He's mine. For some unknown reason that PTB saw fit to bind us to each other for life. I won't pretend to know their reasons behind that decision. But I made him a promise to stand by his side until he earns his redemption, and I will keep that promise for however long it takes.
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"Princess? Are you feeling well?" Bless him, He's not very bright but at least he's observant.
I shake my head trying to avoid those big, freaky, yet strangely comforting blue eyes of his.
"No, Groo. There's trouble back home. They need me."
His eyes instantly become wide with worry for my family.
"Then we should depart at once, Princess."
We spend the next few minutes re-packing our luggage that we just unpacked yesterday. So basically we had exactly one day in the sun. And here I thought that the Bahamas would have been more attractive. Of course the nights here are breathtaking. Angel would have loved it here. But then there 's that whole flying over the ocean thing, he's not to keen on flying.
"I believe that is everything, Princess." Groo said to me as he grabbed the luggage.
"Okay, Groo.lets-Argh!!"
Argh is an understatement. It's a vision.and they're not supposed to hurt. Hurt is also the wrong word to describe this pain, because the images that flash through mind are heart breaking. Angel. My champion, alone, beaten and bleeding. My god! He's calling out my name! I can tell that he's in some kind of sewer, and that this happens soon. And I am nowhere able to prevent it.
Groo helps me up off the floor as I grab at my cell phone. I dial frantically to reach the hotel as we scurry out of the motel room and towards the airport. The phone at the Hyperion rings off the hook, and all the images of Angel beaten and dying in that sewer come rushing back to me, cold fear overtakes my body. I can feel the tears begin to stream down my cheeks as we run in the terminal.
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On the plane, Groo is staring at me. I can feel his eyes burning a hole in the side of my face.
"What?" I snap at him without really meaning to.
He takes a deep breath and lowers his eyes, "You love him."
You know what? There are a lot of things in life that make you pause and think. Sometimes it's the simple things, like sunrise or sunset. The feel of the waves as the water washes over your feet as you walk across a moonlit beach. But sometimes, it just might be something that someone else notices about you before you actually notice it yourself.
That's when those last words he spoke to me suddenly make sense. Oh, my god. I'm in love with Angel.and he knows. How did he know before I did? How is this possible?
I look at Groo who hasn't said anything yet. He is just sitting there looking at his hands. How did Groo know before I did? I know he's observant but damn.
I clear my throat, "How do you know this, Groo?"
He looks up at me, no tears yet.
"I did not figure it out on my own. Your friend Fred enlightened me. And the words she spoke rung with truth. You and Angel are connected. Far more then you and I could ever be. And I believe I am safe in saying that he feels the same way."
WHOA! Now that's a shocker! I can feel my breath catch in my throat as I contemplate the ramifications of his words. Angel loves me? How? When? I'm not blonde or a slayer or some undead-whiney voiced bitch. Breathe Cordy. Oh god! Angel loves me! Dammit! I am such an uncaring bitch. I said all those cruel things to him. How no woman could entice him. Shit! God, he must hate me. I have to find him, get to him in time!
Moment of truth here. I have to tell Groo that he's right. Let him down gently, Cordy. He's a big boy, he can handle it.
I take a deep breath and then for once in my life, and most certainly not the last, I let my heart do the talking.
"You're right Groo.I'm in love with Angel."
But it wont do any damn bit of good if I don't find him before it's too late!
When my cell phone rang after we landed at the airport it scared the shit out of me. I was extremely hesitant to answer it because I could see from the caller I.D. that it was coming from the Hyperion. Which more than likely meant bad news. Against my better judgment I answered.
"Hello?"
"Cordy? It's Fred."
"Fred.I'm in L.A. now.catching a cab.we should be there in 20 minutes."
"O-okay.umm.Cordy?"
I could feel myself begin to grow cold again; the sadness in her voice nearly floored me.
"Fred.what's going on?"
She took a deep breath.this was not going to be good.
"Wesley's back.but now Angel's missing."
Groo grabbed a taxi and threw me into it and told the driver where to take us. I had nearly fallen over in grief when her words struck me. What about Connor?
"Fred.what about Connor?"
"Umm.still no word.Wesley is feeling so guilty."
Huh? Why would Wesley feel guilty? It wasn't his fault. Unless.
"Fred. What did Wesley do?"
"It's a long story, Cordy. I will fill you in when you get here. Gunn is out right now looking for Angel."
"Okay, Fred. Listen to me. Angel is somewhere in the sewers.if you can get hold of Gunn tell him to hurry up.Angel doesn't have much time!"
"Cordy how do you know.you had a vision!"
I could feel the panic in her voice. She did not need to know exactly what I saw, it would upset her too much, and I don't think that Fred could take much more heartache. She cherishes Angel too much.
"Just that he was in danger, Fred. Just tell Gunn to check Angel's usual paths.he might run across him. Okay?"
Fred hesitated for a moment.
"Cordy.please hurry."
"I'm coming, Fred."
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We pulled up to the hotel nearly 20 minutes later, and let me tell you I barely recognized the place. It looked like the earthquake occurred right at its foundation. Nearly all the windows were shattered. I could see pieces of the Hyperion sign dangling from the steel rafters that held them in place. Plus the majority of the exterior was black with ashes from a fire. To be honest, the place looked worse now then it did when Angel first bought it. This place had been my second home.and I hadn't been here to help. Connor was gone.Angel might be dead.no! I would know if Angel were dead.I would know!
"Cordy!"
Fred's screech scared me and I dropped my bags on Groo's foot.
"Sorry, Groo."
"It didn't hurt.that much."
I ran over to Fred and nearly tackled her with a hug. The poor thing cried in my arms and I couldn't help but cry right along with her.
I pulled away from her but kept hold of her arms.
She gave me a weak smile and tried to catch her breath.
"Cordy.everything is so messed up.I'm so scared."
I tried to offer her a reassuring smile but I failed miserably.
"Fred.tell me what happened."
Fred pulled me over to a makeshift couch made from the remains of our old couch and some blankets and boxes.
"It all started the day you left. Wesley finally translated a major portion of the prophecy involving Connor. He didn't tell anyone at first."
The girl began to hyperventilate and I turned to Groo and asked him to grab us some sodas from the fridge. Hopefully there was still a fridge in the kitchen.
Groo returned shortly with a couple sodas and Fred drank hers eagerly which seemed to calm her down a bit.
"Thanks.well. Anyway, the prophecy stated that The Father would kill the Son. "
"What?! Angel would never hurt Connor! Dammit! Wes should have known that! How many times had a certain prophecy said that I would die hence Angel losing his link to the PTB? And how many times did Angel stop that prophecy from happening?"
Fred flinched at the anger in my voice, and I couldn't really blame her. I smiled at her apologetically and urged her to continue.
"Well.Wesley wasn't so sure about that. You see, right after you left Angel was acting.well.not so much like Angel. He was all distant and broody except for when he had Connor in his arms."
My fault? Was he broody because I left? Because I stomped all over his heart?
"Then Wesley found out that Wolfram & Hart had been spiking Angel's blood supply with human blood.Connor's blood."
"Oh my god! How did they? Who?"
Fred shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, Cordy. But it caused Angel to nearly lose it. He went on a bloodlust. Every time we went on a mission he just lost it, tearing the baddies apart with his bear hands.I have never seen him so strong."
I nod slowly, "Human blood does that to him. Makes him stronger, faster and meaner. I can only imagine what the blood of his own son did to him. It probably made him go mad. Did he know that the blood was Connor's?"
Fred hesitated a moment her eyes glanced around the room, "Not at first.Wesley kept it from him. Then Wesley broke down and told him about the three signs."
"What three signs, Fred?"
Fred fidgeted in her seat and took another drink from her pop. All the while avoiding looking at me directly.
"Well.the signs were the mother will turn to dust. The father will lose his heart, and the earth will shake."
"Okay.I get the mother turning to dust, and the earth shaking. But when did Angel lose his heart?"
Fred just gave me this look. I can't really describe it, but I think it was a mixture of sadness, despair and something else that once again caused my blood to run cold.
Fred put her soda down and looked down at the floor, slowly rubbing her hands together.
"Angel is the champion, Wesley is the brains, Gunn is the muscle.and you're the heart."
I could hear Groo shuffle his feet behind me, because lets be honest, everything else that was going on the world at the moment just stopped. I couldn't speak, I could barely breathe. I know there were tears welling up in my eyes that would cause my mascara to run down my cheeks but I don't give a damn! This was my fault. Angel and Connor were lost because of me. Because I had to keep denying to myself what I truly felt. Because I let Angel be the goddamn martyr!
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I don't think I have ever felt so cold. Slumped against this damp wall in the sewer, I can feel and hear everything. I can hear the cars and people on the streets above me, feel the borrowed blood as it flows out ever so slowly from all these numerous wounds that now cover my body. I want to feel numb, but I can't. I want it all to end, but it turns out that I'm immortal, go figure. I will never have anything I want or need. James was right; I can only exist.never truly live. So I am resigned to only feel the cold, because that is all I can ever know.
I don't remember it being this bad when I was chasing Darla and Dru across L.A., that was cold.this is, worse. I can't truly describe it. I have lost the two important people in my un-holy life, and the more that I think about it the more I realize that I never deserved them.
Connor, my son. God the innocence of him, it was nearly suffocating. And I don't even need to breathe. How bad is that? He was this blessed little innocent life that was entrusted to my care. I couldn't protect him, I could clothe him, feed him, but I could never truly protect him.
Cordelia, my heart. Just thinking about her hurts. Thinking about how much she has grown in the last 3 years. I always used to think that was in part because of my influence. That she had come this far because I had helped her. Because I had gone through numerous trials to make sure that she saw another sunrise. I can't remember when exactly, but my mission became her mission, our mission. And I wanted so much for it to forever remain that way, to keep her with me even after I shansued. Now I see how wrong and selfish I was to ever believe that. That she would want me as much as I wanted her. Why? I'm a goddamn demon, a creature that hides in shadows and survives off the blood of other living things. She made her choice, and I am happy for her. Happy because she will be able to see another sunrise, with someone who can protect her not only during the day, but also under the blanket of night.
So I sit here now. Too weak to move, too weak to stop the blood that flows from me, mixing with the dirt and scum of the city's sewer system. Too weak to even care.
I'm starting to hear things now.that doesn't make sense. I'm hearing a voice, a familiar and strong voice. It's far away, but still I can hear it. The sloshing of the sewer water as the owner of that voice comes closer to me. I can hear this person's heart pound in his chest. The voice again, I know it. Gunn. I try to speak to him, to make him understand that it's better if he just turns around and leaves. Forget that I ever existed because all I ever do is hurt the ones that I love, the ones that I cannot protect.
"Angel.come on man! Get up! We need ya, bro!"
I can hear that his voice is strained, full of emotion. Why? He said so himself.we can never be friends. Because of what I am.I'm a vampire. Remember, Gunn? Go! Run! Get away!
"Don't fight me, bro! I'm not leaving you like this! Damn! Who did this to you?!"
I can feel his arms wrapped around me, lifting me from the scum-infested water. I think I'm leaning on him now as he leads me back down a tunnel, towards the hotel, to a place that used to be my home.
"Angel.stay with me, man. Who did this to you? Why are these wounds not healing? And why are they smoking like that?"
"Poison.silver."
It's all I can say. My voice refuses to work beyond that, those two words. I can feel him stiffen as they come out, he knows.
"Oh, god.Come on! We have to get you back. Damn, Cordy is gonna have a heart attack when she see you."
I'm not really sure but I think he just said Cordy's name. Why? She's in the Bahamas were I told her to go. So she would be safe.
"Damn, Angel! You are fucked up. You know that, man? Why did you just run off like that? We could have helped you! We're supposed to be family dammit!"
Family?
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"Cordy! Fred!"
I felt more tears stream down my cheeks when I saw Gunn caring Angel through the basement door. I stifled a scream when I noticed all the blood and numerous wounds across his chest and stomach. The same wounds that I had seen in my vision. Why hadn't they begun to heal?
Groo reached them first, taking Angel's body and gently laying it down on the couch.
Fred grabbed the first aid kit as I tore Angel's shirt off.
"Oh, god." I feel like I'm going to be sick.
I looked up to Gunn for an explanation as to why Angel hadn't started to heal.
"Cordy, it's silver poisoning.he's.I don't think."
I jump up and jab my finger into his chest, "Don't you even fucking say it! He's fine. Angel's always okay. He's Angel."
I turn away from Gunn and take the bandages from Fred. There is so much blood. He has to okay. He's always okay. He's fucking immortal, he can't die! God, I can't lose him too.
"Princess, I believe Angel needs blood." Groo said as held the first aid kit for me.
"Yes, Groo he does.but we don't know what else Wolfram & Hart did to the blood supply, what if the rest is poisoned in some way?"
No one would answer. Not that I blame them anyway. God, this is the worse that I have ever seen him. I can't even tell if he's alive, or whatever. He' s doesn't breathe, no heartbeat. What the hell are we supposed to do?
"Angel.please wake up. Angel. Wake up, it's me. It's Cordy."
I start to clean the blood from one of his wounds and it causes him to thrash around and howl in agony. His game face flickering on and off as the pain surges through his body. I can't stop the tears; I don't think I have ever cried so much in my life. Groo tries to hold him down, but even he is having trouble keeping Angel still.
Angel's eyes flutter open and he just looks at me. Those same eyes that I have known for what feels like forever, the eyes that have always watched over me and kept me safe, the eyes that have gone through two hell dimensions to save me. His mouth opens a little.
"Cordy."
It's amazing how one little word can reveal so much emotion. When he says my name I know that he's going to fight, but he won't able to win unless I help him. And I am not going to lose him. I have made my choice, and my choice is Angel.
"Fred, get me a syringe. I've got all the blood he needs right here."
TBC