Title: Soldiers of Destiny
Author: runeknight
Date: 11-7-2005 Rating: PG-13
Email: Runeknight's Email
Category: C/A
Genre: Crossover Angel / BTVS
Spoilers: Angel season 4 Buffy season 7
Summary: Cordy is in a coma can the gang rescue her in time and will their guest be able to help.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt created the characters in the Angelverse. No infringement is intended, no profit is made I am just poor.
Distribution: FSB, AO, ST if anywhere else please just let me know!
Feedback: Yes please!
A/N1: Holtz never took Connor through the portal. Cordy left Groo on her vaction (will explain) she also refused to become a higher being but did not make it to the bluffs before morning so no confessions have been made.
A/N2: Thanks to Lea for the help

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Part 13

Angel watched as Cordelia entered the bedroom her hazel eyes puffy and red rimmed from her bout of crying. His heart ached for her, he wanted to take away the pain but knew that was one thing he would never be able to do.

“Angel…how…why?” Cordelia asked questioning his earlier actions.

“Cordelia listen to me,” Angel said a smile crossing his face “when you fall down you have no other option but to get back up. You can't stay down and watch life go on around you as though you're not part of it all, you can’t always feel sorry for yourself. You can't hide and hope everything will go away because it won't. It doesn't work that way. The trick is to keep hold of the people that help you up, dust you off and get you on your way. Those are the ones that matter. Without those people what would life be? Ash, bones and pain with no hope for the day ahead! So you hold on to them with everything you have, let no one take them away. Love them, cherish them and take things one day at a time.”

“Huh,” Cordelia mumbled.

“You taught me that Cordy…you taught me not to let my past actions influence my future choices, you taught me to hold onto the people I love instead of pushing them away. I think it’s time you listen to your own teachings and quit letting you past actions ruin your life. I know you feel guilty about what you did but that doesn’t mean it should consume your thoughts and actions. I was the victim and since that means it’s my choice to place forgiveness or not. I chose to forgive you so now its time for you to move on,” Angel solemnly dolled as he stared into Cordelia’s hazel eyes with love and joy.

“Wow…since when did you get all wise and knowing,” Cordelia replied her normal demeanor returning slowly as she let Angel’s loving words wash over her.

“I’ve always been wise Cordy…it’s just nobody ever listens to me,” Angel answered with an amusing smirk.

“That’s not true I listen and then ignore,” Cordy said a mischievous smile on her face.

“Uh huh.” Angel smile grew a little bigger, she was slowly coming back to him the Cordy he loved, the one that drove him insane and he wouldn’t change one single thing about her. She was his sun, the bright spark in his endless night.

“Hey don’t you uh huh me Mr. Never-listen-to-a-word-anybody-says,” Cordelia smirked as she hit her vampire on the arm.

“Owww…so you feeling better now,” Angel asked amusement twinkling in his eyes.

“Much better thank you,” Cordy answered with a smile. She saw the amusement dancing in Angel’s eyes but since she knew him as well as she did she could also see the pain and horror in the background the remnants of the torture he endured for her. “Are you ok?”

“I’m o…I’ve been better,” Angel changed what he was going to say as he saw the disbelieving look on Cordy’s face.

“So do you think your ready to face the firing squad downstairs,” Cordelia said her smile never wavering.

“Ummm I…. Uh,” Angel started backing away from the door and getting fidgety.

Cordelia quickly crossed the room and took Angel’s battle worn hands in her petite feminine ones, “I’ll be with you the entire time well after I get dressed anyway and we’ll deal with this together just like always.”

“Ok,” Angel replied meekly his manner skittish and unsure, but he did feel stronger knowing that she was going to be by his side.

*****

Cordelia dragged Angel towards the hotel lobby stopping at the balcony at the top of the stairs as they watched the scene play out in front of them.

Buffy and Willow were sitting at the bottom of the steps both mesmerized by the little baby that walking unsteadily between them and Fred.

“Look at him Will he’s so cute,” Buffy smiled as she saw the toothy smile Connor beamed when he looked at her.

“Well of course he is Buffy have you seen his father he makes me doubt my decision to be gay,” Willow laughed.

“Yeah Angel is a hottie,” Buffy replied.

“A hottie, have you seen him lately Buffy he has a face that makes men consider changing their sexualities and a body that was designed to make women drop their jaws and produce excessive amounts of unnecessary saliva…what do you think a hottie?” Willow said severely doubting her choice to be a lesbian as she talked about Angel.

“WILLOW,” Buffy screeched embarrassed by her friends outburst.

“Huh oh did I say that out loud,” Willow remarked her face turning red matching her hair color.

“Cordelia is a very lucky woman,” Buffy answered knowing that with those words she truly has let Angel go.

Cordelia listened to the conversation below her and realized how lucky she was. To have a man who loved her so unbelievably much with a body that possessed enough strength to catch her if she ever fell, she amended that thought he did catch her when she fell, when she had a vision she could still feel his arms around her, rocking her, soothing her. His deep voice whispering words of help and encouragement in her ear. A body that made women glare at her when she walked down the street with him, arms linked together, laying her claim. A body that made her own hum with desire for him, made the ardor beat through her body as quickly as the blood flowed through it. She gulped hastily as immense arousal flooded her. She wanted him. She wanted him now. She wanted to tell him that she wanted him now. But all she could manage was Wow.

*****

Angel could smell the arousal coming from the beautiful brunette next to him and as much as he would like to satisfy that need he had guests he needed to talk to.

“I…I need to talk to Buffy,” Angel said shakily almost as if he were asking permission.

At Angel’s admission Cordy was snapped out of her haze. When Angel didn’t move she figured he was still hesitant and frightened so she slowly tugged him toward the stairs knowing he would follow.

Buffy and Willow moved from their position on the stairs as they heard the rustling behind them. When they turned and looked up the stairs they saw a radiant and very happy Cordelia slowly guiding a very nervous and insecure Angel.

Buffy’s blue eyes connected with Cordelia’s hazel ones and what she saw was the exact opposite of her body’s appearance. Cordelia’s eyes danced with conflicting emotions Love and joy were dominant but Buffy could se the underlying and potentially overwhelming fear in them as well. Buffy could tell that the fear wasn’t for her but for Angel fear that Angel might not recover from whatever was done to him.

Angel squeezed Cordelia’s hand when they reached the bottom of the stairs. As she looked into his eyes a silent conversation passed between the two before Angel pulled his hand loose and made his way to the garden sitting in the shadows.

“Cordelia,” Buffy asked worried her eyes bouncing between the brunette standing in front of her and the vampire sitting outside in the shadows.

“Go…talk to him,” Cordelia said never taking her eyes off Angel.

*****

Buffy made her way out to the garden where she went and sat next to Angel the fluttery feeling she usually got when he was around no longer present. “So what’s up?”

“Buffy I’m…I’m sorry,” Angel said.

“For what,” Buffy asked confused.

“Earlier…I was out of line I’m sorry,” Angel answered earnestly.

“It’s ok Angel you were scared and angry you had every right to put me in my place I was being selfish,” Buffy honestly replied her eyes shining with life.

“But I…I never yell out my emotions and feelings like that..I…I…are we good,” Angel stuttered still a little shaky but gaining his usual confidence.

“Angel as I said you were scared for your friend I know what that means so yes we’re good,” Buffy answered meaning every word.

“I’m glad…it’s just I can’t lose her Buffy she’s too important to me,” Angel said glad to have someone other than Cordy to talk to. He would talk to Fred but he has trouble understanding her babble half the time.

“She’s important to everyone here Angel…I saw that earlier Cordy is a very important member of your family but I understand what you mean,” Buffy replied showing her uncommon wisdom.

Angel looked curiously at the blonde next to him. “When did you become so smart?”

“Buffy wisdom is few and far between don’t get used to it,” Buffy smiled.

“Oh good, it took me forever to understand Cordyism’s I don’t think I could handle Buffy wisdom as well,” Angel chuckled gracing Buffy with one of his rare smiles.

Buffy’s heart fluttered at the smile she saw grace Angel’s face. She never knew he had such a sexy smile, she was also a little sad that she never bothered to get to know the real Angel so she could have seen the smile before now. Because of this Buffy asked, “Alright Angel doesn’t smile so who are you and what have you done with Angel.”

“Have you looked under the carpet I know that’s where Cordy likes to sweep the dust,” Angel joked.

“….”

“Well I thought it was funny,” Angel quipped.

“….”

“So when you guys leaving,” Angel asked at Buffy’s continued silence.

“Tonight but um…Willow won’t be coming back with us,” Buffy answered sadness etched in her voice.

“Why?” Angel questioned.

“She needs to get out of Sunnydale for a while…she’s getting the looks you got when you came back from hell and she is having trouble handling it,” Buffy said guilt mounted in her throat.

“I understand so where is she going to stay,” Angel asked knowing the answer.

“Umm here she was planning on talking to you but umm stuff happened,” Buffy answered nervously.

“That’s ok she can stay here for as long she needs to,” Angel said as he stood up and went back into the hotel to find the red head.

*****

The rest of the day passed in an eerie calm. Angel had talked with Willow telling her that she could stay as long as she needed.

The Scoobies and the fang gang reminisced and laughed until it was time for them to leave.

“So you guys will all be ok,” Buffy asked her question mostly directed at Willow. She was the only one of the Scoobies still here wanting to be the last to leave.

“We’ll be fine Buffy and I promise to call…now shoo,” Willow answered pushing Buffy out the door.

The silence that flooded the room was deafening as the Scoobies left. Willow disappeared soon after to her new room wanting to be alone for a while. When Fred tried to follow she was stopped by the cool calloused hand of Angel who knew better than any of them that right now Willow needed to be alone for a while before she should be forced back into the world.

After watching the newest member of their team disappear upstairs Fred turned and looked into the eyes of her hero. It was true that she was over her crush but Angel was and always will be her hero for saving her from Pylea. What she saw in the depths of his eyes scared her. Angel the one she thought of as somewhat invincible was hurting and was unable to hide it behind the mask he was so good at placing over his emotions.

Wesley, Gunn and Cordelia crossed the room and silently in their own family way put comforting hand on Angel’s shoulders. They saw the fear in Fred’s eyes when she looked at the vampire.

Angel knowing that they meant well and not wanting to hurt anyone silently shrugged them off as he glided across the floor and out into the garden. It was still daylight outside so he had to stay under the balcony in the shade. The warmth the sun created even in the shade did nothing to warm him up or take away the pain that still resided in his body.

Cordelia at the look of her family followed him outside.

“Are sure its ok for her to follow him Wes,” Fred asked worried that Angel might do something he would regret.

“Positive Fred right now she’s the only one he needs, he needs her around him to let him know she’s alive and he’s not in another nightmare,” Wes incited.

Fred just nodded understanding crossing her features.

“You ok big guy,” Cordelia asked as she sat next to Angel.

“You know in the two years I’ve lived at this hotel I’ve never sat out here under the balcony to watch the sunset,” Angel said as he felt her presence beside him.

“How about we sit here and watch it together,” Cordelia replied as she nestled her head onto his shoulder content to just sit here with the man she loves.

Angel just sat there and shifted his body so Cordelia could get comfortable. For the first time in a long time he was content. Angel sat toward the corner in the shadows as he watched the sun go down beyond the horizon.

Two men, a woman, a baby and a green demon watched as the two most important people of their family found a semblance of peace in their hectic lives.

“Angel Investigations we help the helpless,” Fred answered the infernal ringing that interrupted the peaceful show.

As Fred took the information the smile never left her face her hero’s had found one another and nothing could spoil her mood. She looked down at the notes that she had taken from their client, not even demon dogs that speak three languages.


END