I do not own the Angel franchise or the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise or any characters connected to it
Thousands of demons came rushing at them all at once. For the first time since his return from Hell Angel felt that there was absolutely no hope. While taking on the dragon he saw Gunn fall to something large and covered in scales. Spike too had fallen moments before in a shower of exploding ashes. Angel saw Illyria holding her own with her super-human strength, but there seemed to be no end to the rain of blows and slashes that fell upon her. He turned around just in time to see a stake being thrust into his chest. The last thing Angel saw before darkness claimed him was a young girl. She wasn't hiding, as he would have suspected. She was in battle stance, ready to fight. She wasn't afraid of the horror. She stood calmly, determined to fight. And then all went white...
Angel found himself in a white room, not unlike the one in Wolfram and Hart. He was trying to figure out what was going on when he saw a figure approaching. It was a woman who he had not seen since her death five years earlier. She was the Oracle. The spokeswoman for the Powers that Be that Doyle had taken him to see what seemed like an eternity ago.
"You seem tired, Champion," she said wisely.
"Confused," Angel replied. "Why am I here?"
"You are not to ask of your destiny, Champion," the Oracle replied. "Was it not predicted that you would achieve Shanshu when the time came?" Angel looked grim, but determined.
"I lost my faith in prophecies a long time ago." The Oracle turned her back to him with a swish of her robe. "Pity, and there was still a chance." Angel vamped out momentarily. "What?" he asked apprehensively. The Oracle smirked.
"Now you're interested? She asked bemusedly. "Well you should know for a fact that there's someone up there who likes you, because you've been given a second chance at atonement." Angel looked even more confused.
"Cordelia?" The Oracle didn't reply as to who his "friend" was. Instead she turned to face him.
"The Powers that Be did not predict the events that occurred following the birth of your son," she said wearily. "The unfortunate possession and death of your seer was unforeseen. The Powers are giving you a chance to put things as they should be. You shall have your hotel, your allies and your chance returned to you-" Angel cut her off.
"Then it will be as if all this never happened?" he asked apprehensively. "Yes," the Oracle replied coldly. "You shall not have the memories that you were left with, and to the world outside it shall be as if none of this had ever happened." Angel looked as though he might speak, but thought better of it. "The unnecessary dead shall be resurrected. Your Watcher, your librarian, and your Empath shall be returned." Angel again looked as if he would raise a question.
"And as for your son," she continued, "he shall keep the life you have given him. He will still know you, but he will keep the life that you risked everything to give him. As for your seer, she remains dead." Angel looked angry.
"Why?" he asked. "Why does the heart of our group remain dead?" For a brief moment the Oracle looked sympathetic, then she resumed her cold look. "For all the reasons that she stated to you," she said. "Cordelia remains dead because her time in this reality is done. Given events that passed, she cannot continue to go on in your reality. You will, however receive help." The Oracle suddenly looked rather businesslike.
"And now," she said, "it is time for events to be corrected." And before Angel could protest reality stopped.
To be continued...