Disclaimer: I'm not Joss Whedon or David Greenwalt and therefore am not connected to Angel or Buffy the Vampire Slayer in any way.
I didn't like the way the series ended, this is my version of what should have happened.
The sky still fell dark occasionally with the shadows of the dragons circling above. The battle had waged for hours and what had started as four against thousands was now down to one against hundreds.
A white light shown down from the sky illuminating the carnage for a moment, then disappearing, leaving in it's place a female with short brown hair dressed in a flowing white dress. None of the creatures waiting there turn to fight the great vampire with a soul, Angel, seemed to notice her as she walked among the dead, searching.
She found them, one by one, her friends, dead, first Charles Gunn, he had been ran through with a sword. He'd been the first to die, already wounded from an earlier fight. Flashes of memories shook her, of the times she'd spent with him, with all of them.
Next she found a pile of dust, out of all the other piles of dust around she instinctively knew this one was Spike, and even though she hadn't really been friends with him in life she grieved for the death of the only other vampire with a soul, someone who'd lived such a long life, made it through so many battles before.
Finally she saw Illyria, who she'd once known as her friend Fred, and innocent farm girl, she'd been taken over by an ancient one. Now in death she again resembled that innocent farm girl.
She knew she wouldn't find Wesley here but she grieved for him also. The once bumbling watcher, who over the years had become not only a true friend but a brave fighter.
She continued on, walking among the creatures, they had formed a semi-circle around Angel, trapping him between them and the fence. He was fighting two to three at a time, throwing them off of him with his super-human strength. He didn't look like her gentle Angel though, with his forehead ridges, glowing yellow eyes and fangs flashing, he looked more like his former self, Angelous.
She watched him fight, watched the creatures toying with him, enjoying these last few moments of the great vampire with a soul. He was barely standing, covered in blood and quickly losing the battle. She stood, waiting for the right moment. Finally it came, one of the creatures got the best of him. Throwing him to the ground, several others held him down. The first lifted a stake in his hand and prepared to plunge it into Angel's heart. As the creature's arm swooped down, she saw Angel's eyes, the fight went out, he knew this was the end.
She waved her hand and with a flash of light, time stopped, everyone stood frozen like living sculptures. She walked forward, examining the situation more carefully. With a flick of her wrist the one holding the stake flew through the air, hitting the fence and falling to the ground. A couple more flicks of her wrist took care of the ones holding him down. Finally she took a few steps back, and smiling stood behind one of the creatures, she waved her arm. The creatures all remained frozen, and Angel suddenly finding himself free, jumped up, prepared to fight. She saw him wavering, the effort it was for him to stay standing was great. She could see him but he couldn't see her as for a moment he looked around in confusion at the still creatures around him. She let him do a full circle and as he came back around she stepped out from where she was and came face to face with him.
"Hello Angel." She said.
"Cordy?" He asked, confusion written on his face, "Am I dead?"
"Another few seconds and you would have been." She said.
His face reverted back to the human looking Angel she was used to seeing. He started to step toward her and winced, "Nope, I guess I hurt too much to be dead." He looked around, "So what's going on?"
She smiled, "I told you that you might see me again, didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you?"
He smiled through the pain, "So what, you chose the moment before my death to come have a friendly chat? Catch up on old times?"
She shrugged, "Angel, Angel, Angel, how is it you get yourself into these situations?"
"What apocalypses? Fights to the death? Just lucky I guess." He said, smiling.
She shook her head, "All joking aside, this one you won't come out of alive."
"Won't?" He asked, looking around once again at the frozen creatures, "You plan on putting me back? Letting them kill me?"
"That, my dear Angel is totally up to you." She said softly.
"Crap." He said, "I have a feeling this is not a good thing. So what's the deal?"
"I've come here to have you make a decision, hopefully the right one."
"Not to die would be the right one, I think."
"Walk with me, Angel." She said. They began walking and immediately she noticed he was limping and having a hard time keeping up with her. "Let me help." She said. She stood in front of him, waved her hands and instantly he was healed and cleaned up.
"Thanks." He said.
She nodded and led him to the bodies of their friends, "Did you know you were the last?"
"No." He said sadly, looking around, "I knew about Gunn, but I thought Spike and Illyria were still alive."
"They fought well, killed many, but look at how many are left. Do you think you can succeed alone?"
He shook his head, "Not even if I went back fully healed." He said, "But we all knew when we went into this, that we probably wouldn't make it out alive, but at least we did major damage to Wolfram and Hart."
She nodded, "Did you though? If you die here today won't others just rise up to take the places of the ones you killed? Won't Wolfram and Hart go on spewing it's evil as always? And the world will have lost its heros? Who will be here to stop the next apocalypse?"
"Buffy." He said, "And her slayers will have to do it."
"I guess she could, she has before." She said, she shrugged, with a glint in her eye she added, "ok then I guess I'll send you back to die, there's no point in trying to stop you." She raised her hand.
Quick as lightning, he was beside her, holding her hand, "No!" He said, he smiled sheepishly as he let it go. "Ok, you got me, I don't want to die. Yeah I went into this ready to, but now, not so ready, ok?"
"Ok." She said, "Then I will give you a few choices."
"Choices?"
"Yeah, I can give you three to pick from. Do you want to hear them?"
"Sure."
"The first is the one you already rejected - being put back to die." She said, "So let's get rid of all this." She waved her arm and suddenly the alley was empty except for her and Angel, "All those frozen uglies really gave me the creeps."
Angel smiled.
"What?"
"You never change, do you?"
"Many have tried to change me," she said grinning, "but I figure why should I?"
"You shouldn't, you wouldn't be my Cordy if you did. In my eyes you're perfect the way you are." He said, "Hey Cordy?"
"Yeah?"
"Before I get to serious about this choice thing I need to do something."
"What?"
He walked over to her and hugged her, "It's good to see you." He said, "Even in this situation."
She hugged him back. "It's good to be with you Angel." She said, "As to seeing you I've been keeping an eye on you this whole time."
They stayed in each others arms for a little longer than necessary because neither wanted to be the first to let go. Finally Angel stepped back and instantly noticed they were no longer in the alley. "My office at Wolfram and Hart?" He asked.
"Yes."
"It can't still be standing."
"Both other choices will cause it to still stand." She said.
"Maybe I should chose death then." He said.
"Like I said before, it will rise again, even if you die."
"Nice, so it's one of those situations, damned if I do, damned if I don't and in my case damned no matter what."
She shrugged.
"So what are you Cordy? And angel?"
"After I died I was recruited by the real 'powers that be.'" she said, "I am one of them now."
He nodded. "It's what you deserve to be." He said, "It suits you."
"Thank you." She said, "Now, are you ready to hear your choices?"
"Actually I was hoping to prolong it a little longer, you know, sit down, have a nice chat about uh... oh, shoes, ok, how about shoes? You got a nice selection up there?"
She smiled, "Think I'd have agreed to stay there if I didn't?" She asked, "but as much as that is my favorite topic I'm on a limited time schedule here so here we go. The second choice is this: This day and anything that had to do with it will be erased from the memories of everyone. All the dead will be allowed to live again and go on here at Wolfram and Hart like nothing had happened. You wait, bide your time till another opportunity arises."
Angel paced the office, "Everyone would live again?"
"Yes and their memory of your little uprising erased."
"And the Senior Partners will just let us live?"
"Their memories will be altered."
"Oh." He said, "I guess I didn't realize the 'powers' were powerful enough to do that."
"They are." She said.
"So do I get to hear the other choice before deciding?"
"Yes." She said, "Ok, we need a change of venue for this." She waved her hand.
Angel looked around, "The Hyperion, our old home."
She nodded. "This is the third choice: You never went to work for Wolfram and Hart, you would still be here, still fighting evil in the old way."
"You'd send us back in time?"
"No, it will still be this time, just everyone's memories will be altered. The Senior Partners will remember you rejected their offer and have been thorns in their sides all this time."
"And the ones who died today?"
"Will live again." She said. "Even the evil."
"I'll have the old gang back?"
"In a way." She said, "You'll have Wesley, Gunn and Spike."
"And Fred?"
"They won't allow me to reverse what happened to Fred, Angel."
"So she'd still be Illyria?"
"I'm afraid so."
"And they would remember?"
"In either scenario they will remember whatever you choose to let them remember." She said.
"And what about Connor?"
"Once again that would be your choice."
"And you Cordy?" He asked, stepping closer to her, "What about you?"
"I'm not part of the package in any of the scenarios Angel."
"It was worth a try though right?"
"Yes." She said, she reached out and took his hand, "I wish I could come back, but I'm needed now."
"I understand." He said, he let go of her hand and paced awhile, finally he stopped and said, "So what I'm hearing here is this: Either we all die or I let all the evil we did away with today back into the world just like it was before. How is that fair Cordelia?"
"It's not." She said, "But it was all I could get the 'powers' to agree to. At least you would all still be alive Angel, doing what you do best."
"Lately I'm not sure what that is." He said, he shook his head, "I don't know Cordy, I don't think I could live with myself knowing that by choosing our lives I let all that evil into the world again."
"Always the hero, huh Angel?" She asked, "ok, do this for me, tell me, out of the two choices I've given you, which do you like best?"
Angel looked around the lobby of the dusty old motel, "I miss the simplicity of here. Our mission was simple, fight evil." He sighed, "But at Wolfram and Hart we actually had the resources to do so much. It's just the mission got more muddled than ever and sometimes what seemed right felt wrong, you know?"
She nodded.
"So I guess I can't really choose one of them."
"You have to." She said, "the alternative is death."
"I know that." He said.
She sighed, "So what do you do then Angel?"
"You know my answer to that Cordy." He said and smiled, "Go down fighting."
She sadly waved her arm and they were back in the alley, the frozen creatures back, "Don't you want to think about it for a while?"
"Thought you said you didn't have much time."
"I don't, but Angel..."
"I know." He said.
"No you don't." She said, "I don't think I can handle not having you in this world. I like being able to watch over you, but if you're not there..." She looked around at the place he would die and squared her shoulders sighing she said, "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm not." He said, "but it's the right thing to do." He walked over to her, hugged her tightly and then kissed her softly. "At least I got to see you one last time." He said, he kissed her again, desperately, not wanting to let her go. They clung to each other for a long time and then he pulled away, "Do I have to go back to where I was?"
"I'm afraid so." She said.
"Come on, you can't even give me a fighting chance?" He smiled, "I know, it's the way it has to be right?"
She nodded, tears shining in her eyes.
"Ah, Cordy, don't do that ok?" He said, "I've lived a good long life, this is not such a bad thing, ok?"
"I know." She said, "It's just hard to see it end this way." She waved her hand and instantly his injuries were back.
He limped over and lay back on the ground and she arranged the creatures back the way they were. She reached down and softly touched his cheek, "Goodbye Angel." She whispered.
"Bye Cordy." He said, "I love you."
"I love you too." She said, stepping away.
He closed his eyes, hoping it would be quick and painless. "Ok. I'm ready." He said, he waited, nothing happened. "Cordy?" He asked, "waiting to die here." Nothing. He opened one eye. He was no longer in the alley, he opened the other eye, thoroughly confused. He was now laying in his bed at Wolfram and Hart. "What the..." He asked, standing up and noticing he was clean and unhurt again. He left the bedroom, going out into his office, at first he thought no-one was there, then he saw Cordy standing in the shadows looking out the window. "Ok, I'm confused, what's going on now?"
She turned around smiling, "I approached the 'Powers' with a forth option." She said.
"And it was?"
"All the evil that died today stays dead." She said, "Memories are altered and everyone believes another group killed them."
"Who?"
"Lindsey and a group he formed. The 'Powers' will make it believable, I don't know the details yet. Since Lindsey is dead the Senior partners should be satisfied and you'll get the credit for his death."
"And what happens with me, with us?"
"You remain head of this office, only now that the Circle of the Thorn is dead you truly are in charge, this becomes your company not just in name. You can use it's resources to take down the other branches of Wolfram and Hart."
"And how will I do that?"
"You'll figure it out." She said.
"And my gang?"
"Will be here and will remember what you want them to."
"Everything." He said, "That they died, but not the pain of the deaths, ok?"
She nodded.
"What about Connor?"
"What about him?"
"I don't want him to remember the fight, none of this night."
"Do you want him to remember that you are his father?"
"That turned out ok, so yeah."
"Ok." She said.
"What about Lorne?" He asked.
She smiled, "Again it's up to you." She said.
"I hurt him a lot." He said, "Asking him to do what I did."
"You could make him forget." She said.
"No." He said, "I want him to forgive me on his own." he shook his head sadly, "But could you let him know what happened here? That we died, what choices I had to make, how much I care about him, please?"
"I will." She said, "I'll make him understand."
"Thank you." He said, "Hey, so why didn't the 'Powers' think of this option before?" He came over, standing as close to her as he could.
"They have this whole thing about how the balance of good and evil can't shift too quickly or the whole world will be destroyed, they feel the evil must be destroyed slowly to keep the world going. They thought you destroying the Circle of the Thorn was moving things along too quickly. I convinced them that it wasn't, evil still exists, you barely put a dent in it. All you did is move their plans up a few years, no bid deal you know?" She smiled, "It was a little easier to convince them since you had just proven what a champion you were by agreeing to sacrifice your life to not allow the evil back in the world and so they went for it."
"So I will still be doing their bidding?"
"Yeah, and they wanted me to ask you not to take such drastic measures next time, they really don't want to lose you as their champion."
"I'll try." He said.
"They're going to make it a little easier on you." She said.
"How?"
"Visions."
"Me?"
"Whomever you chose." She said, "I suggest you discuss it with them, let them chose, it's a big thing Angel, it still involves a lot of pain."
"I don't have to discuss it." He said, "I know who I want to have it." He smiled and leaned over, whispering a name in her ear.
She smiled, "Sometimes Angel, I think a little Angelous still comes through."
He shrugged, "Sometimes I let him." He said, he put his arm around her and pulled her close to him, "and what about you Cordy?" He asked, "Will I see you again?"
"Maybe." she said, "Since I've been with them I've been able to change a few of the old ways."
"Like the no interference thing?"
"Yeah that." She said, "oh, and they dress a little more up to date now." she smiled.
"Only you could make ancient beings like the higher powers be more fashion conscious."
"I gotta be me." She said, she smiled. "I tried to get them to reverse the contract you signed, the one signing away your chance at humanity, they couldn't. I'm sorry about that."
He nodded, "I knew I what I was giving up when I signed it." He said, "I don't think I would really like being human again after all these years."
"I did get them to do one thing for you." She said.
"What's that?"
"I got them to lift the curse over your soul Angel. You can experience true happiness now and you won't lose your soul and go back to being Angelous."
"You did that for me?"
"Yes."
"Your sure?"
"I'm positive." She said, "so live Angel, be happy, ok?"
"I want to be happy with you." He said softly.
"I know." She said, "I'm sorry that can't be."
He smiled. "Couldn't they allow you one night Cordy? So we could be together? Test this happiness thing?"
She smiled, "Gives me something to work on with them." She said.
"Ok." He said, "thank you, so much Cordy, for everything."
"It's been my pleasure." She said, "I have to go now." She said, "I'll work on that one night thing huh?" She hugged him one last time and disappeared.
Angel sat at his desk, taking in all that had happened. A few minutes later there was a flash of light and Wesley, Gunn, Spike and Illyria materialized in his office, they were obviously very confused.
"Hi." Angel said.
"Ok, I know I wasn't wearing an amulet this time." Spike said, "I remember dying."
"Me too." Gunn said, checking his chest for the injury that had killed him.
"I also remember dying." Illyria said, "as did Wesley."
"I'll explain." Angel said. He filled them in on everything that had happened, only leaving out the detail about the visions. "So we need to make sure we don't tell anyone any of this." He finished.
They all agreed.
Illyria said, "I am at a loss to understand why you allowed me to come back, do you not consider me to be evil?"
"You chose to fight with us." Angel said, "That gives me hope that you will help us."
"I do not find any of you unpleasant." She said. "I believe I shall continue to help you."
"Thank you." Angel said.
She nodded and turned to Wesley, "I find myself pleased to see you alive again."
"It's not so bad to see you either." He said, "Thank you for what you did for me."
She nodded, and coming close to cracking a smile said, "I would be pleased to lie to you again at any time you would like me to."
"Thanks." Wesley said, glancing around at the others questioning faces he blushed, "A story for another time." He said.
"So what now boss?" Gunn asked.
"We have a long fight ahead of us." Angel said, "We need to start making plans. One thing I know for sure, if we're going to bring the other branches down we're going to need help, and lots of it."
Spike raised an eyebrow, "Buffy?"
"If we can get her to believe we're not evil." Angel said, "It's going to take some convincing. I also want to recruit every one of her slayers, with there help we can take out all the evil, without an outcome like we almost had tonight."
"I volunteer to find Buffy." Spike said, raising his hand like an eager schoolboy.
Angel shook his head, "Wesley, I'm leaving that up to you, getting their help. I think they might listen to you. Gunn, I want you to recruit any of your old gang that you can."
"Ok."
"What of me?" Illyria asked, "how may I be of assistance?"
"You can go with me." Wesley said, "If it's alright Angel."
"That's fine." Angel said.
"Good."
"I still think I should find Buffy." Spike said, pouting a little.
"You and I have other things to do." Angel said.
"Like what?"
"Research." Angel said, "amongst other things."
"Yippee, research." Spike said, twirling a finger sarcastically, "on what?"
"I have this idea of creating an army of vamps with souls, we need to figure out a way to make that happen."
"Research is Wesley's thing, not mine." Spike said.
"You're not going after Buffy." Angel said.
"Fine." Spike said, "I'll do your bloody research."
"Ok then." Angel said, "Are we all ready?"
They all nodded.
"It's going to take time and effort, but together I know that eventually we'll destroy Wolfram and Hart for good." Angel said, "So let's get to it."
Suddenly Spike grabbed his head and fell to his knees. Everyone looked at him questioningly. Angel held up his hand and they all waited for it to pass.
Finally Spike struggled to his feet, "What was that?" He asked still holding his head.
"Oh, did I forget to mention," Angel said, "you're our new phone line to the 'powers', they were nice enough to pass the visions Doyle passed onto Cordy onto you. Another reason why I wanted you to stay nearby." He smiled innocently, "So what was the vision about?"
Spike rolled his eyes, "Bloody hell." He said angrily and began to tell them about it...
Thanks for reading, this is my first and probably my last Angel fic, I just liked the idea of them still fighting the good fight!
Please review!