Title: Birthday!!!
Author: Wren
Rating: R-ish??
Spoilers: This fic is written based on spoiler speculations for the yet to be aired episode “ Birthday.” If you don’t wanna be spoiled; don’t read it.
Disclaimer: Angel and Co are property of Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, FOX, and a ton of people that aren’t me. If they want to sue they can but good luck getting anything. I only just paid off the car after 5 years.
Feedback: PLEASE!!!!!!!
Note: This fic just sort of popped into my head after reading spoiler speculation for the upcoming episode “ Birthday.”
Part 1 (of ?)
The jumble of brightly colored balloons hovered just below the cathedral ceilings of the Hyperion hotel. The strings to the balloons dangled tauntingly several feet above the heads of the vampire and the ex-watcher; as they chided each other for the dilemma.
“ I told you to take them. I thought you had them so I let go,” accused the vampire.“ “Well, if you would have waited a millisecond after you spoke I would have been ready. But you didn’t. Not all of us have superhuman reflexes like you do. “ Wes argued back at him.
Both men looked surrepetitiously at the doorway to the upstairs room. They didn’t want their raised voices to carry to the woman who was in there; rocking Connor to sleep. She had been trying to put him down for his nap for almost an hour; giving the men plenty of time to carry out their plan to surprise her on her birthday. Thus, the little accident with the balloons. Angel sighed. She was only 21; yet she had seen and been through so much. And to his knowledge, she had never even had ONE good party to celebrate her birthday; and Angel had wanted to surprise her with something special.
The upstairs door opened and her hushed voice carried down the stairs. “ Would you guys be quiet? I JUST got Connor to sleep. What are you...?” Her voice broke off as she followed both men’s eyes upwards toward the ceiling. There a plethora of brightly colored “ Happy Birthday” balloons and streamers seemed stuck just below the ceiling. Her anger melted away at the look on Angel’s face. “ um, sorry. I was just trying to surprise you. But, um, HE let go,” Angel said glaring accusingly at Wesley.
Cordelia found her mouth uncontrollably changing from her frown to a grin. Angel was a dork; but so sweet. She really couldn’t stay mad at him very long. And he tried to take good care of her. He loved her and cared for her and held her when she had a vision. He knew that they were getting worse; but she had hidden from him just how bad they had become. After the last one; even the prescription painkillers hadn’t helped. And she had spent the three days it took Angel to solve the case locked in her apartment; tired and ill and trying to hide her agony from Angel. She knew he would freak if he knew the toll they were taking on her. And with demons pursuing his newborn son and Holtz pursuing HIM; Angel had enough to worry about without her adding to the mix.
She felt her stomach flutter as he smiled one of his rare smiles at her. “Um, glad you got Connor to sleep. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out two tickets. “ These are for us- you and I . Wes will stay and watch Connor. You and I are going to dinner and a ballet.” Cordy almost laughed at the slight flinch that crossed Angel’s face at the mention of a ballet. It really was a gift to take her to a ballet. Macho man Angel HATED ballet; but he had somehow discovered how much she liked them. She had taken ballet lessons in her former privileged life and had always dreamed of living the magic she saw in a ballet. But she hadn’t been to one in years. Her face lit up and she launched herself down the stairs to throw herself at the surprised vampire; hugging him happily. An evening alone with a romantically inclined Angel was a good thing. And an evening without the pain of a vision and the worry of a case was even better. She kissed Angel again on the cheek; and ran off to her suite to get dressed.
************
Angel’s gaze followed her out of the room; his own face breaking out into another smile. She seemed pleased with the gift; despite the mess with the balloons. He wanted her to relax and enjoy her birthday; free from the burdens of the visions for once. She had tried to hide it from him; but he knew. He knew how much they were affecting her; how they were gradually taking their toll on her. He knew from the fine lines and shadows beneath her eyes that she disguised so expertly with makeup. He knew from the decreased sparkle in her beautiful eyes and the often forcedness of her smile. He knew from the small noises she would try not to make when the pain got to be too much for her. After her last vision, she had tried to hide her pain from him but he knew. He had spent the three days afterwards next to her window; listening anxiously to her noises of agony . It was only Dennis’s reassurance that she would be ok that had kept him from breaking in and making his presence known. Wes and Gunn had done the majority of the work on that case- Angel hadn’t wanted to leave Cordy.
Tonight he would tell her. He would tell her what she meant to him. That he knew. That he would stop the visions from hurting her. That he wouldn’t lose her to them as they both feared. He wouldn’t allow that to happen.
************
Angel finished giving instructions to Wes for what seemed the 100th time. “ And if he cries; he likes to cuddle with the bear. And his pacifier usually helps get him to sleep. And don’t forget to...” “ Angel, yes, yes, I know. Relax. I know how to take care of Connor while you are gone. And yes, I have the number of Cordy’s cell, the pediatrician, and poison control, and 911. Not that I’ll NEED any of those things, mind you. But if it makes you feel better... Now, you just go and give Cordy the fun , relaxing evening out that she deserves. We’ll be fine here.”
Cordy came down the stairs two hours later in impossibly high, sexy gold heels that showed off her toned legs. Her hair was clipped up with just a few strands framing her exquisite face. And Angel thought the black silk dress she wore must have been painted on. It dipped just low enough in front to tantalize him with thoughts of her breasts and was almost completely backless. The silky fabric plunged to her waist in back; showing off her finely toned neck and shoulders. A small, simple gold chain shimmered at her throat and small gold twist earrings rested in her earlobes. And she smelled so good. He didn’t know what the fragrance was but the perfume, mixed with Cordy’s natural scent; was intoxicating. Angel thought she looked exquisite; like some prize that he really didn’t deserve. He watched her face as she noticed his appreciation of her. If he had a heart, it would be jumping out of his chest. She smiled at him as he draped her black velvet shawl over her shoulders. This was going to be a special night for her the- perfect night.
She smiled up at him- the dazzling smile that melted him. “ Do you like?” , She asked, twirling a pirouette. “ I just bought this dress and I haven’t gotten a chance to wear it; Augh!!! Instantly the smile vanished as her forehead creased in pain. She grabbed her head and seemed to just crumple into his arms. Damn, a vision. She couldn’t even have one evening out without a damn vision interrupting.
She was gasping and trying to talk to him at the same time. “ Angel, ugh, I can’t see anything. just blurs. But I can’t tell what...” she managed between gasps for air. Angel was terrified; this seemed to be the worst vision yet. He stroked her forehead and tried to make her look at him, “ Cordy. Cordy!!, he yelled at her; but she suddenly didn’t seem to know he was there. He body was convulsing in his arms and her eyes seemed fixed in space. He could hear her heart racing almost impossibly fast. Something was very wrong. This was worse than any vision had ever been. “ Wes!!,” he yelled. “ Its Cordy. Its a bad one. Call an ambulance. NOW!!!”
Angel heard Wes in the office scrambling for the phone. In Angel’s arms, Cordy’s body continued to jerk uncontrollably and her eyes rolled back and then closed. After a couple of seconds, her body stopped writhing and went completely limp. He shook her to try to get her to wake up. “ Cordy. When she didn’t respond, he shook her harder. “ Cordy. Wake up.” Wes rushed into the foyer and squatted down next to him. “ The ambulance is on its way.” Angel held Cordy closer to him and looked up worriedly at Wes. “ This one is a bad one. She won’t wake up. And I don’t think she is breathing.”
.Part 2 (of ?)
Angel shook Cordy repeatedly, “ Cordy? Wake up.” When she didn’t respond, he shook her progressively harder until Wes put his hand on Angel’s arm. “ Angel stop. That isn’t going to help. The ambulance is on its way.” Angel spent several seconds motionless, staring at Cordy’s pale face. “ Wes, I don’t think she is breathing.” The panicked look in Angel’s eyes met the worried, knowing look in Wes’. “ Wes, she’ll die, “ the vampire almost cried. He was holding Cordy tightly, with an almost viselike grip. He didn’t release her until the paramedics arrived. “ Sir, you need to let us take her.” He watched, almost paralyzed with fear, as the paramedics took her from him and laid her out on the cold marble floor of the hotel; attaching tubes and wires to her.They wouldn’t tell him anything about what was wrong with her; but he overheard pieces of their conversations; words like “unresponsive.” Angel knew what that meant. Cordy was dying; if not dead already. She was only 21. Things like this didn’t happen to people her age. Unless they got visions for vampires with souls. This was because of him; Cordy was most likely dying because of HIM.
Angel watched, almost in a stupor, as the paramedics whisked her hurriedly away; saying only that Angel and Wes could meet them at Cedars hospital. Angel watched the ambulance pull away, sirens blaring, as Wes pulled his unresisting body to the car.
************
Cordelia was jerked awake by the sharp and crushing pains in her chest. She opened her eyes groggily and decided to ignore the unrelenting and repeated pains in her chest. She could only see mist all around her. “ Angel?” she called uncertainly into the mist. “ Angel?” she tried again, louder. “Wes? Gunn? Lorne? ANYONE?” Her words seemed to be swallowed the instant they left her mouth by the heavy mist surrounding her. She pushed herself off the floor; ignoring the weird bursts of electrical energy that seemed to shoot through her body. She was entirely surrounded by the mist. Damn., she thought. This was another dimension again? First Pylea; now this. She WAS going to have to pester Angel for a raise. At least Pylea had had warm suns and trees. She shivered in the chilly mist and pulled her shawl around her.
There was that weird energy coursing through her as she walked out of the mist; into a smaller; warmer chamber. Here a fire burned and it was warm and cozy. She saw a golden figure sitting in front of the fire and hesitantly approached it. “ Um, hello? I hate to intrude; but um, I suddenly got lost here and I...” The figure turned and finished eating what seemed to be a baloney sandwich. Its deep voice resounded in the room. “ Oh, you’re here. Sorry I was just finishing lunch. You are early. “ He tapped a watch around his wrist. “ Nope. My bad. Watch stopped. Keep telling the wife not to buy the cheap stuff. That baloney was terrible but my wife said it was a lot cheaper than Oscar Meyers.” Cordelia just stared at the creature with the yellow eyes, the golden body and the large ring in his chin. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. He didn’t look terribly scary. And his voice was almost soothing. Still,... “ Um, do I know you?” she asked politely; hoping a smile would let this demon know she wasn’t really scared of him.
“ You are Cordelia, right? I’ve been expecting you.” The demon extended a large golden hand. “ I’m Skip.” Cordelia took his hand and shook it once; confused. “ How do you know who I am? Are you some kind of inter-dimensional stalker or something?” She was starting to really get confused and annoyed and those pulses of electricity that were running through her body were starting to get on her nerves. The demon smiled slightly. “ No. I met Angel when he was trying to free Billy; and he spoke of you. And I owe him for the shiner he gave me.” Cordelia did a double take. “ You were trying to keep Billy here. Billy was evil.” She looked around and suddenly noticed small snippets of fire with people flailing about in them. “ Oh my, God. Am I dead? Is this Hell? Cause I know I can be snippy sometimes, but I don’t think I deserve...” The demon chuckled; amused by her; and cut her off. “ Angel was right. You were worth him risking his soul for. No, this isn’t hell. And you aren’t dead. At least not yet.
At Cordelia’s confused expression, Skip explained. “ I am an agent of the PTB. They aligned you with Angel and gave you the visions without your consent. And no human has ever borne them and survived. You seem a bright, spunky sort, but still; the visions have been taking their toll. So the PTB brought you here so that you could make a choice about your future. “ What future? You said I’d be dead soon,” Cordy asked. Skip shook his head. “ Well, except for the wonders of modern medical technology, you are now. It was the only way we could get you, a human, here to make your decision.”
He took Cordy’s smaller hand in his and led her through a doorway. “ You will get the chance to decide your fate. Death? Life with Angel as his seer? Life without him? It’s up to you. Come with me. See what you can have if you aren‘t with Angel.”
Cordelia was starting to get annoyed with this guy. “ Is this some sort of Scrooge-like ghost-of- Christmas-past” kinda thing? Cause if it is, it’s really cliched...” Now Skip seemed irritated. “ Why does everyone always think that? Do I look like Scrooge? No, this isn’t about the past. Its about the future. YOUR future.”
Skip stopped and pointed to a large chamber directly in front of them. Go in there. It’s swank. You are dressed perfectly for it. Go in there and see what you COULD have. Then YOU decide.”
************
The ER doctor pushed open the doors leading to the waiting room with his face mask down and an expression of defeat on his face. He hated losing ones so young. The medics had told him that today was the girl’s 21st birthday. Attacks this massive didn’t usually happen to people as young and apparently healthy as she was. The doctor hesitated as he saw the large man in black pacing a hole in the carpet of the waiting area; hunched over with his hands fisted.
The man was quite obviously loved his wife and the doctor dreaded telling him the news. He also wanted to have a couple security guards around in case the guy went berserk again. When the medics had first brought the girl in; the man had tried repeatedly to get into the treatment room and had even threatened one of the orderlies if he didn’t get some information about the condition of the girl. The man’s British friend, with the help of three beefy security guards had finally managed to get them man into the waiting area. The doctor sighed and hesitantly approached.
Angel stopped pacing the waiting room of the ER as he had done for the last hour; when he saw the doctor coming towards him. “ How is?...” Angel stopped short when he saw the doctor’s slumping posture and defeated expression. “ I am Doctor Michaels. Your, um, wife, was brought in she was unresponsive from what seemed a massive heart attack. The medics did everything they could.We used all available procedures; including drugs and electric shocks; but, um, it was just too long. “ The doctor looked upwards at the man who was now lurking over him. “ Is she um, de..?” The physician scratched his head. He had to be blunt and be sure the man understood the situation. “ We currently are keeping her on life support until her family can make their decisions. But it is unlikely she will ever come out of her coma.”
Part 3 (of ?)
Angel sat in the chair next to the bed; cradling Cordelia’s hand gently in his. His hair was rumpled and his eyes were red rimmed from crying . On the floor surrounding him were the shredded remains of pillows and blankets and glass; victims of Angel’s sadness and frustration. His rage spent now, Angel sat numbly in the chair next to her bed. His eyes stung with tears as they watched the still form on the bed. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest helped to calm him; as did the sound of her heartbeat. But they weren’t hers. They were only from the machines keeping her body alive.
Angel stroked her hand gently; letting her know he was still there with her. But she didn’t know. The doctors said she was in a deep coma and might never come out of it. They said Cordy wouldn’t even know that Angel was at her bedside; but he didn’t leave. She needed him there. He knew she would know he was there.
This was his fault. She was only 21 and her life had been filled with such pain; because of him. She was near death because of him. He would stake himself if he thought that would help. But he couldn’t really. She needed him. And as long as she needed him; he would be there. He would do whatever it took to get her back.
Lorne had been unable or unwilling to help him save Cordy. The green demon wouldn’t even help him communicate with the PTB. Lorne had come to see Cordy at the hospital; but all Lorne said was that both Angel and Cordy had choices to make. Cryptic bastard. Angel had wanted to beat more info out of him; but Wes had stopped him. How the hell could Cordy make ANY choices in the condition she was in? Choices about what? Life or death? There was only one choice Angel would make for her- life. She HAD to live. She deserved to live. And more selfishly, he wanted her with him.
He brought her lifeless hand to his lips; then ran it over his face. “ I am here Cordy. Still here. I won’t leave you. I love you. But you have to come back to me. I swear, I won’t let anything happen to you again. I’ll find a way to get rid of the visions for you. You don’t deserve this. To have so much pain and die so young. Just come back to me and I promise I’ll find a way to rid you of the visions. To rid you of me.”
He buried his head next to hers and burst into tears; fingers stroking her hair. Skip watched him sadly from the shadowy corner of the room.
************
Cordelia walked through the doorway Skip had pointed out. She instantly felt herself shiver as the temperature dropped and a heavy grey mist surrounded her. She looked behind her to ask Skip what was going on; but he had disappeared. As she walked hesitantly forward through the mist; it seemed to close around her. Just as she was about to yell out through the darkness; she heard a loud, sharp sound; like the sound of clapping. It got louder as she walked slowly through the mist.
She found herself on the back lawn of a spacious home high in the Hollywood Hills; surrounded by people. But they all looked past her; as if she wasn’t there. Cordy was startled out of her thoughts by a man’s voice. “ Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce our guest of honor; Academy Award winning actress, the beautiful, talented, Cordelia Chase...” Applause erupted over the crowd at the posh party as , across the lawn, Cordelia saw a gorgeous, Dolce & Gabbana clad version of herself. Her counterpart sparkled in a shimmering black dress and lofty high Gucci shoes. Diamond earrings glittered at the other Cordy’s throat and on her earlobes. Cordy looked down at her own outfit; gorgeous by her current standards; but nothing compared to the one the “ other Cordy” wore.
“ What was going on here? “ Excuse me, but...“ she tried to ask some of the other guests what was happening; but no one seemed to hear her. “ Hey, watch where you are going!” she snapped as one of the waiters ran right into her. Apparently no one could see her either. “ Hey, she isn’t Cordelia Chase. She’s some imposter. I am...” she started to protest; but she stopped when she realized that no one was listening. The “fake” Cordelia was posing for photographers on the arm of one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen; impeccably clad in an Armani suit. He was just the kind of guy that Cordy always wanted; beautiful, famous, rich, powerful. So what if his eyes weren’t as deep as Angel’s and his shoulders weren’t as broad. He was the kind of guy Cordy had always wanted. And now, she, or, this OTHER Cordy; had him.
Air rushed by Cordy as she felt herself whisked into another scene. She, well, the “ fake “ Cordy; dressed in a stunning blue dress that would cost the real Cordy more than Angel would pay her in two years; was smiling broadly over her shiny new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Then, another scene; of her. or the thing that could be her, leaving a limo, face beaming in the flashes of hundreds of photographers as she walked the red carpet to a huge premiere. All the reporters were saying such nice things about her. Things like, “ best actress of the year, inspiring, and luminous.” She smiled. They were saying those things about HER. Cordelia Chase. About that Cordelia Chase.
She flashed through the mist again to see HER, the other Cordy in her house. Ok, it wasn’t really a house. It was one a big estate home; even bigger than that one that Russel Winters had lived in. Cordy smiled. She knew that one day she would achieve fame and fortune. THIS was the future she could choose? She’d take it. So what if it was a little cold and materialistic. She deserved the nice things in life; didn’t she? She had those visions all the time; she deserved some reward. She figured that if she had a vision, she could just call Angel; and then she wouldn’t have to do the fighting herself anymore.
True, this new life seemed pretty self serving and not really doing much to help others; but why not take what she deserved. She had wealth, beauty, and fame, she didn’t really need love, or a sense of purpose, did she?
Cordelia tried to walk towards the mansion; but stopped when she suddenly hit an invisible barrier. Skip appeared next to her again. “ Well, what did you think? This could have been your life. Could STILL be your future. Fame, fortune, no mind splitting visions. You even have a Mercedes. Sweet car, by the way. Fun to commute in that. ”
“ So, What is the deal?” , Cordy asked, eying the yellow demon suspiciously. “ Nothing comes free- especially in THIS town. I mean, I know that these people hanging around her- me- are shallow and phony. They don’t accept and love me for me; just what I can do for them. But as long as I can talk to Angel sometimes. He loves me. He accepts me. ”
Skip nodded at her a bit condescendingly. “ Ah, but that is the problem, Cordelia. If you live this life; this NORMAL, long life as a rich, famous, successful actress with NO mind splitting visions; you don’t get to interact with Angel. Your life will be as it would have progressed had Angel never come into it. No visions, no more migraines; comas, killing dirty, smelly demons for low pay . And this long life of priviledge. But no contact with Angel at all. And no memory that he ever existed in your life. It’s your decision. But, before you make it; there is something else you need to see.”
Part 4 (of ?)
Cordy felt herself propelled through the cold mist again and was suddenly standing outside a familiar storefront in a bad part of town. “ The office!” she cried, recognizing the original office of Angel Investigations. She had always loved that office with its goth detective look. Just as she was about to reach for the door handle; she was almost run over by a hunched over figure all in black. “ Angel!,” she cried; but he didn’t seem to hear her. She followed him as he walked briskly across the dark, dusty office; past the boxes piled everywhere; to the elevator.
Angel stared at the floor in the elevator, nearly unblinking; his game face on. It was clear that he hadn’t come down from whatever battle he had just fought. His forehead had a bloody gash and Cordy reached up with her sleeve to try to wipe the blood away. But her hand went through him and he was unable to even feel her touch. “ Angel. What happened?’, she asked. But he was oblivious to her.
She followed Angel to his apartment. It was as she remembered when she first met him; dark, musty, airless. No windows. The apartment seemed so empty. Well, there was furniture there- the stuff that had come with the place- but it was dusty and old. Angel sat in the shadows and drank a bag of expired human blood right out of the collection bag. “ Human blood? Oh, my god. Did he kill, or.....steal...?, she asked Skip in horror.
“ No, it was thrown away by the blood bank because it was too old, “ Skip answered, watching her. Cordy was horrified.
“ But, he never drank human blood. Only from cows or pigs. What is...?” Her sentence was cut off by the ringing of the ancient telephone on the table. Angel just stared at it as it rang several times before he picked it up; then slammed the reciever down again. Cordy was appalled, “ Well, how is he going to get any clients THAT way...? Who was that on the phone?” Skip answered, “ That was Doyle. “ Cordelia was confused. “ Well, why did he hang up on him. And why didn’t Doyle just come over like he always used to? Why is Angel just sitting here in the dark and where am I?”
“ Oh, you don’t exist here. Well, you exist; but you never met up with Angel. Remember, you are a rich, famous actress. You never met Angel in LA.”
“ Well, what is going on with him?” Skip sighed. She had to know the whole story. What really happened without her. “ Look, Doyle was on the phone because he can’t come here in person. Angel won’t let him. He has totally cut Doyle out of his life. “ Cordy didn’t understand what was happening. Doyle and Angel always got along well. What was going on here without her?
Skip saw her look of sadness as she watched Angel. Angel had now finished the blood and thrown the bag on the floor. He sat, concealed in shadows, staring at a wall; growling softly and twitching.
Skip decided to tell Cordy the whole truth about Angel’s decline. “ Angel won’t let Doyle come here anymore because he is afraid he will eat Doyle. See, Doyle was right about Angel needing ties to humanity. For the last 3 years, Angel has been saving people; but is totally apart from them. Totally isolated and withdrawn. Without any humanizing influence in his life he was cut off from humanity. Started craving human blood again. He tried to fight it for a long time; but he IS a vampire. And he does still have a soul. But without human interaction he became more vampiric in his nature. He has no caring for any humans- and none have any caring for him. His soul hasn’t let him kill humans for their blood- yet. He just steals discarded blood from the bloodbank. But its only a matter of time before his vampiric nature overrides his soul and he kills humans again. He needs a humanizing force to care for and to help keep him more human.
Cordy watched as Angel continued to sit in the shadows in game face; staring blankly at the walls and twitching. Skip looked in pity at Angel and then continued. “ Angel even attacked Doyle once in a fit of despair. Now he won’t even let Doyle come over. He’s too afraid he might attack him again for whatever human blood runs through his veins. Doyle gets a vision and calls Angel. Angel kills the vampire in the vision and then comes right back home; not looking at anyone or anything on the way back. Doyle waits a few hours after the vision and calls Angel. Angel’s picking up the reciever and then hanging up is a sign that he has made it back in one piece. It is the only communication Angel has with anyone.”
Cordy felt tears in her eyes as she walked over to where Angel sat. He hadn’t even taken off his trenchcoat and he smelled as though he hadn’t bathed in awhile. “ I guess he wouldn’t have to when he doesn’t interact with people. “ she thought. She sat down on Angel’s lap and touched his game face gently, “ Angel. its Cordelia. Do you remember me?” But Angle just sat there totally oblivious to her. She knew that he couldn’t see or hear her.
Cordy got up and ran over to Skip.” When is he going to snap out of this? Do something.”
Skip shook his head. “ He won’t snap out of it. he will continue to decline and the vampire in him will become more prevalent and want to start killing humans again. Angelus will try to return. But Angel’s soul won’t let that happen and, well, to stop Angelus, Angel will have to..., well, you know.”
Cordy started to cry. “He’ll stake himself?” Skip nodded. “ His soul won’t let him kill again. But without a humanizing influence to keep him connected to the world then, his demon will try to kill. The conflict between his demon and his soul will drive him crazy without someone to love and care for him. And , well, you KNOW the result. It won’t be pretty.”
Cordy ran back to Angel; who was now absently fingering the stake he carried in the sleeve of his coat. “ Oh, God, poor Angel. I can’t let that happen to him.”
Skip shook his head at her. We have been over this. the visions will kill you. Heck, they HAVE killed you. The only way you can be saved is to give them up. To make it as though Angel never met you in LA. There is nothing you can do. Humans just can’t take the visions.
Cordy grabbed Skip’s arms and looked angrily into his eyes. “ Well, FIND a way, Mr. other - Dimension man. I love Angel and I won’t let him go insane and die. He needs me and he needs me alive. So find a way for me to stay with him and keep the visions. There HAS to be a way.” she whispered. She ran back to Angel and stroked his unresponsive game face. “ Its ok, Angel. I’ll find a way.”
TBC