A/N: So, anyways, here's my little farewell to Cor's character (Queen C ROCKS!) the way I wanted her story to play out. Be forewarned: it's long. It's an AU story, but leading up to this – everything's the same up to the season 3 finale. I'm changing everything else. I'm putting an M on it b/c of some things I have planned later, and I am following the guidelines to the letter. It possibly could be T+.

Apologies to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Fox/ W/B. I know these aren't my characters, and I don't expect anything from their use.

. . . I just like to pretend I can write sometimes! : )

Chapter 1: Ten Minutes

Ten

Cordelia Chase had just spent forty-five minutes, driving a stretch of road that should have taken her fifteen – OR LESS! Come on, come on! she thought. "What is with the sudden interest in ruining my moment, people?" she said aloud. Wondering when she would get out of the wallowing traffic, her thinking turned to whether or not Angel would still be there.

If she just hadn't had that vision – that stupid vision! – she would have been there by now. But, noooooo . . . the PTB had picked that moment to send something to her about a boat and night and something that looked like a box being dropped into the water. She could barely make heads or tails of it because it seemed as if pieces were missing, which had never happened to her before.

No . . . – NO, she shook her head, determined her notions would somehow cause him to be there. He better not even THINK of abandoning me this time.

Picking up her cell phone, she called him. "Angel . . . pick up the phone," she said apprehensively. As his phone switched to voicemail, Cordelia cursed, "Damn it, Angel! I know you're two-hundred-fifty and all, but would it HURT you to move past electronic ineptness?" As she heard the BEEEP indicating it was time for her to leave a message, there was finally a break in traffic, and she zoomed around the cars in front of her.

Nine

Finally! She thought as she pulled her jeep beside Angel's car. She was over twenty minutes late now, and she had been worried until she saw his car there. Opening her car door, she slid out quickly and half-walked, half-ran to his car and peered inside.

No Angel.

"Angel?" she called out. Pulling her cell phone out, she dialed his number. "Please, please pick up," she whispered as she heard the line connect and the first ring . . .

A cell phone was ringing. His cell phone! She quickly scoped the area, trying to ascertain where the ringing was coming from. Walking toward the edge of the rocks, she wondered aloud, "How'd it get down there?"

Becoming more nervous than ever, Cordelia called out again, "Angel?" as she carefully began to climb down to the shore.

Eight

The phone went to voicemail. She re-dialed and felt butterflies all over her body. Her excitement was tainted by unease – and she couldn't put her finger on precisely why.

At last, she found herself on the shoreline, and she heard the phone stop ringing. She called it again. The sound seemed to echo into the night, filling her mind with its lonely sound. It stops at length, and Cordelia looked around, bewildered. She made to start in the opposite direction when she felt her toe catch something in the sand.

Her eyes travelling downward, she sees it – Angel's cell phone. Picking it up, she called out again, "Angel!" She looked up and down the beach, growing more and more confused. The only sign of movement she could see was in the distance over the ocean waves: a boat gently rocking on the water.

And then, she heard the old Plymouth crank up and roar to life.

Seven

Cordelia scrambled back up the rocks just in time to see his car pulling away.

Her mind took her in a dozen directions at once – and her emotions followed suit . . . "Why did he leave?" – dismay. "He left?" – shock. "He couldn't wait just five minutes?" – anger. "Is he OK?" - concern.

She leaned onto the hood of her jeep. For the first time that night, she didn't know what to do.

Six

"Havin' a hard night, princess?" a voice asked behind her.

She knew that voice . . .

"Doyle?" she responded tentatively while turning around to see the speaker.

There he stood, just as she remembered him. Dark hair, light eyes, crooked smile – completely beautiful. "Doyle!" she ran to him and embraced him hard, a laugh of joy escaping her.

"Easy there, Cordelia," Doyle said to her, but he didn't move to push her away.

"How are you here?" Cordelia pulled away and looked at him. "How is this possible?"

"I'm here for you. I've been sent by the PTB; they can do anything, you know. They need you."

Confused, Cordelia asked, "Need me for what?"

"To help humanity."

Her face scrunched up in consternation, and Doyle continued, "They're asking you to make the decision, of course. If you accept, then they're prepared to offer ascension immediately." He looked thoughtful – and a little proud, "They don't normally do that, by the way. You must've really impressed them."

"They want me to work for them? And I would leave immediately?" Cordelia faltered. "I don't know . . . I'd be leaving my friends – my family – and wouldn't get to say goodbye. And then, there's Angel and – and I don't know if I'm ready for something like this, anyway."

Five

"Cordelia, you are ready. Look at everything you've done – you sacrificed your future when you hooked up with Angel and the rest of us. I understand from Skip the Powers were going to set you up with a great career in acting –"

"That's no great sacrifice," she said. "I was doing what anyone would have done to make the world a better place."

Doyle laughed, "No, princess, not just anyone would have done that. Besides that, you took on the visions like a champ and then allowed yourself to become half-demon so that you could carry on the mission. You changed who you were in order to fight the good fight. Humanity needs someone like you on its side up there. You are ready."

Four

"I don't know, Doyle," Cordelia hesitated, "And, Doyle, I think something's happened to Angel."

Doyle looked uncomfortable.

"We were supposed to meet here tonight to talk about –" she broke off, "something. I don't know exactly what he wanted to say, but it was important." She looked at Doyle. "He wouldn't stand me up unless there was a really good reason."

"He's pushed you away before, Cordelia," Doyle said gently.

"That's none of your business, Doyle!" Cordelia snapped. "This time, it's different. I really think he's in trouble. And I'm his seer – I have a responsibility to him and the rest of humanity here. On earth."

"Cordelia," Doyle began, "You have to understand that Angel is one pers- er, being." He took a deep breath, "I love him just as much as you do. But, uh, not in the same way that you do."

"Hey! Get out of my head," she smacked his chest.

Ignoring her outburst, he said, "But you have to remember, princess . . ." Doyle took a deep breath, "Angel's no more precious than any other being."

Shocked at his proclamation, and more shocked at the truth of the statement. Cordelia stared out at black waves rolling in, the boat in the distance rising and falling gently . . . she squinted . . . something's familiar, she thought.

Three

"Cordelia?" Doyle broke her concentration as he said her name. She kept gazing out at the ocean as he told her, "You've proven yourself time and time again. This honor of becoming a higher being is not lightly bestowed. However, you have to accept the responsibility, so you have to make the decision."

Cordelia warred with herself. On one hand, she knew this 'ascension' Doyle spoke of might put her in a position to do more for the world and help her to fight the good fight. On the other hand, she thought that her leaving was, in some ways, a betrayal not only to her family but also to humanity, since she would be completely leaving her human self behind.

She contemplated in silence.

Two

"Princess?" Doyle's voice cut into the silence. "Hate to rush you and all, but, I really am on a time clock here. I've got one more stop before I get to call it a night."

Notions crowded her mind – what if this was her calling? Her destiny? And, anyway, she didn't know if Angel really was in trouble or not. He may have run away from her, just like he had done so many times before. She would never know if she left, though . . . but something was nagging her that all wasn't OK with Angel, after all – and she thought it might have something to do with that boat . . .

Damned vision! Why couldn't she remember?

A moment later, Cordelia sighed, "OK. Maybe it's for the best that I do leave now." Her eyes met his, and she said clearly, "I accept the responsibility. I will take on the task of being a higher being."

One

That evening, along the shoreline, couples who rested in each others' embraces as they confessed their love to each other watched in amazement as the most beautiful shooting stars seemed to rain down to earth and then fly back into the atmosphere – cosmic artistry speckling the night sky with all its magnificence.

And a boat in the distant waters started up and slowly moved away from the shore.