Authors: Set after S5, Angel wakes up after the Apocalypse to find prophecies don't tell the whole story.
LOOP HOLE
Even before he opened his eyes, Angel knew where he was. He didn't know how he had gotten there, he only knew he was in The Hyperion. The air in the hotel room was musty and thick with the smell of dust. There was a familiar scent, but Angel couldn't quiet figure it out. His nose was broken and filled with the scent of his own blood, which made it difficult to pick up on the familiarity of the other scent. His ribs were wrapped with bandages, his left arm in a makeshift sling made from a bed sheet. His right leg was braced with two small boards on each side, held tightly in place with pieces from the same sheet as the sling. His body hurt, his head ached, and he had lots of broken bones that would need time to mend. Angel laid on his back listening to the uncomfortable silence of the old hotel, then he heard footsteps coming down the hall. His door began to open slowly, and Angel hoped it was friend and not foe. His body was in no shape for another fight right now. His tensed body relaxed when he realized the familiar scent in his room, was that of his own blood... his
"You're awake!" Connor said surprised.
"Yeah" Angel said grimacing.
"I was starting to worry. We patched you back together the best we could." Connor explained.
"We, who is we?" Angel ask curiously "Illyria and me. Connor replied. The damage inflicted on you, by those demons was unbelievable"
"Oh! Believe me, It's believable." He said shifting painfully in bed.
Then Angel remembered Illyria's last words to Gunn, "that wound is mortal, you won't last ten minutes."
Did anyone else survive?" Angel ask hesitantly.
"You, Illyria, and ...and. Well we found an infant too." Connor replied.
"Infant? Where did you find him..her?" Angel ask confused.
"Him. He wasn't far from the alley, where you guys were fighting. My parents have the baby now, he seems to be doing good. My mom says he not much older than two or three weeks, month at the most. She is trying to fatten the skinny little thing up," Conner grinned
.
"Any signs of the parents?" Angel ask.
Conner shrugged "Nope, just the baby"
Then getting up to leave, Conner said, "Well you need to rest, I'll go get you some fresh blood, and bring it back up."
"Thanks" Angel replied.
Illyria looked up as Conner came down the stairs into the lobby. "How is he?" She asked.
"Awake. It will take some time for him to heal. I'm gonna head down to the kitchen and get some fresh blood. I've been keeping some on hand."
Illyria only nodded and waited for Conner to return. In a few minutes Conner emerged from the kitchen with the blood.
"Did you tell him?" Illyria asked.
Conner looked down at his feet and shook his head.
"Nah! I want to find out about the prophecy first. I don't understand what happened with all that."
"Yes, I'm confused as well." Illyria replied. Watching Conner retreat back up the stairs.
Angel was in deep thought when Conner entered his room, and handed him the container of blood.
"Thanks" Angel muttered. Shifting so he could lean on the headboard.
Conner smiled back.
Angel noticed the tension in Connor's shoulders.
"Everything ok, Conner?" He ask concerned.
"Can I ask you something?" Connor ask hesitantly.
"Sure?" Angel replied.
"What..What happened with...." Conner wanted to choose the right words. "Well, what happened with the Prophecy?"
"Prophecy?" Angel's eyebrow rose.
Conner shrugged. "Yeah, the one that said you would get to be human after the Apocalypse?"
"Oh.... That one." Angel looked confused. "What do you want to know about it?"
"Well you're not human and if I'm right that was THE APOCALYPSE?" Connor stated.
Angel took an unneeded breath and began to tell Connor all the details about signing his rights to the prophecy away. And how it was the only way to make The Circle of the Black Thorn believe he was on their side. Conner listened without interruption then sat staring at the wall.
"Connor?" Angel questioned.
Jerking his head up at the sound of Angel's voice, Connor answered, "Huh..What?"
"You ok?" Angel ask concerned.
"Yeah, I was just thinking, with how unpredictable these prophecies are, maybe you're better off?" Connor explained.
Angel gave Connor a bewildered look.
"What I mean is, with prophecies there seem to be all these loop holes. They never tell the whole story, just give you bits and pieces to work with. Like would you still remember all the bad things you did or would those memories be gone? Seems to me it would be hard to move on and have a normal life, with all the bad memories lingering over your head." Connor explained.
Angel sat and listened to Connor and his theories about prophecies with loop holes, getting more confused as he went on.
"Would you have a job? Would you have money to eat with, seems to me that you would have a hard time starting over as a human who is 30 years old." Connor Continued.
"27" Angel corrected.
"You know what I mean." Connor said, rolling his eyes. "Or would you have to start all over?"
"All over? Connor, what are you talking about? Angel said frustratedly.
Their conversation was interrupted with a knock at the door. Illyria entered with some caution.
"How is he?" She ask looking at Connor as she walked over to the bed."
"I'll be ok in a week or so". Angel answered for himself.
"We were just talking about the Prophecy." Connor replied.
"I came to tell you, your parents are here, they brought...him.
Illyria shot a concerned look at Angel then back at Connor. This made Angel a little nervous, feeling like he had missed out on part of the conversation. Angel knew that he wasn't being told something, but he was not sure what.
"Angel will fill you in on what happened with The Circle of the Black Thorn.
"I'll be right back." Connor said exiting Angels room.
Angel eyed Illyria, who appeared to look better after battle than he did. Then started telling her the same story he had told Connor about the Circle. Angel hoped Illyria didn't have any theories of her own, his head was still reeling from all of Connors. Angel was just finishing up with the story when Connor came back into the room with a tiny bundle in his arms. This made Angel smile, and Angel wondered if he would someday be a granddad.
"What you got there?" Angel said half joking.
Connor walked over to the bed laying the baby down next to Angel. Angel could see why Connors mom was trying to fatten him up. He was a tiny baby, and his high cheek bones made his face look smaller than it was. Angel noted how blue his eyes were. They made him think about a clear summers day when there wasn't a cloud in the sky. They were just crystal blue. He had tiny sandy blonde curls all over his head. There was a tiny mark through...his...left...eye...brow. Angel looked up at Connor and then back down at the baby laying next to him. All Conner's theories shot through Angels head, stopping on the last one, "What if you had to start all over?" Angel looked up questionly at Connor.
"Is this...?" Angel ask.
Looking at his dad, Connor simply replied...
"LOOP HOLE!"
The End