Cordelia just closed her eyes for a second after screaming her lungs out over Angel's ashes. Just one second to calm herself down before wanting to kill that boy for doing what he did, for showing him a true side to her nature-- but she knew Angel wouldn't want that, and it wasn't Connor's fault for being so naive. Just one second to, tightly close her eyes and breathe calmingly only to find herself opening them in a completely different place.
"Cordelia? What's wrong?" Angel asked worried; just a moment ago he and Doyle were downstairs talking when they were interrupted by a loud scream of agony coming from Cordelia.
"Yeah. Angel and I heard you screaming from downstairs." Doyle replied showing another side to his heroic side he always had deep inside him.
Cordelia suddenly calmed down seeming to be still in shock over the two standing before her -- how and why was this all happening? First she sees Angel at the bluffs the moment in time she wanted back so much and now to be back with Doyle. She couldn't help but plead in her mind, 'please don't take me away'.
"Angel. Doyle?" She whispered.
Angel and Doyle both exchanged confused looks to one another, then Doyle walks slowly towards Cordelia seeming slightly cautious.
"Yeah, it's me. You ok?" Without a reply Cordelia quickly rushed into Doyle's arms hugging him to his surprise. Angel was slightly shocked over what he was seeing but gave off a small smile. He figured whatever Cordelia screamed about had to be something long forgotten now, and after seeing the look of surprise and excitement his friend was giving off over Cordy's sudden change, he couldn't help but smile.
"I'll leave you two alone." Angel said while heading towards downstairs.
Cordelia pulled back and looked to Doyle smiling brightly, "I never thought I'd see you again."
"I went down stairs for a bit. Didn't think I was gone long enough to be missed." Cordelia let off a small chuckle while she continued smiling brightly towards Doyle -she then pulled him into another hug. "I could get used to this." Cordelia couldn't help but think of this as the so called gift; the regret had to be that night at the bluffs what else could this all be? She began to become slightly confused and Doyle noticed her sudden change. "Now what's wrong?"
Cordelia pulled back and looked to Doyle. She gave him another smile and kissed him on the cheek.
"I don't know what this is Doyle. But I'm going to make this day memorable." Cordelia replied.
"That's great. Wish I could say the same for Angel though." Doyle brought up, slightly spoiling the moment; which he couldn't help but doing.
"What do you mean?" She asked worried.
"Well it seems Buffy was here for more than five minutes." Doyle began ready for a reaction to come from Cordelia.
"Buffy. Wait -- What about Buffy?" Cordelia was beginning to worry hoping that today was the day when Buffy showed up, she was begging and pleading in her mind that it wasn't the day when Doyle would die.
"Buffy. Last week. She came, she went. Well to our knowledge that is. How it really went down is pretty much a shocker." Doyle replied but before he continued on Cordelia quickly rushed over towards the elevator. "Hey Cordelia, I don't think Angel really wants you --" The elevator begins to go down. "You know maybe you could do some good. I'll be up here -- if you need anything."
Angel was walking through his downstairs apartment looking through a book as Cordelia came down in the elevator.
"Cordelia." Angel was surprised. "I thought you and Doyle would be off somewhere--" He was cut short when Cordelia wrapped her arms around Angel. He could tell she was not happy and needed comfort. "Cordelia what's wrong?"
"I can't do this. This is worse than ever -- I can't be in hell cause you both are here and I can't be in heaven, cause they're so not this rude." She mumbles through Angel's shirt while still holding on.
"Cordelia you're not making a whole lot of sense. Did Doyle --"
"Oh my god Doyle." She pulled herself away revealing the fear behind her eyes. Angel looked down to her trying to make since of what was happening. "He can't die. I don't care what the PTB may have wanted. He's not going to die this time."
"Die. Doyle? What?" Angel stumbled on the words Cordelia used. "Wait, how do you know about the Powers that Be?"
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that Doyle is going to die tonight!" She snapped. "And so help me Angel I'm going to make sure he doesn't jump."
"Cordelia, you're talking in circles. What is all this about Doyle dying?" Cordelia grabbed her head and walked over to sit down - Angel following. She sat down as Angel pulled a seat over sitting in front of her.
"Doyle is going to have a vision of -- I can't remember exactly of what but you and he go out to help this person, leading all three of us into helping a group of half demons. We have to try and help them escape before they become extinct and one thing leads to another where there's this death ball in the air --"
"Death ball?" Angel interrupted, and Cordy glared in his direction. "Sorry."
"Disco ball, death ball, whatever it is. It's going to kill them all, including us -- You try to be a hero and Doyle takes your place instead and jumps! He saves us all and -- I'm not letting it happen again." Cordelia bitterly said, she already went through loosing Angel, dust fall right in front of her -- she can't bear to watch Doyle die... not again.
"Cordelia maybe you should -- take the day off. You seem stressed." Angel finally said placing his hand on her arm for comfort. Cordelia jumped up pushing Angel aside and began to point her finger.
"Look. I love you Angel -- deeply. But it's Doyle, he's our friend -- family. And by god you're going to do something about this!" Doyle suddenly came down stairs in a pace slightly tripping but catching himself before falling down.
"Sorry to break up the party down here." Both Cordelia and Angel turned to Doyle, "But I had a vision. We got our works cut out for us today." Angel quickly turned to face Cordelia in shock then back to Doyle.
Angel and Doyle are searching inside an old brick building for the people Doyle saw in his vision. The place is deserted and really run down. There are holes in the walls.
"Pretty low rent, even by demon standards." Doyle mentioned pointing to the holes in the walls.
"You said they were hiding. It's a good place for it." Angel replied.
"So -- You and Cordelia had a chat." Doyle mentioned catching Angel's attention. He began to remember what she said and felt worried, no matter how much Cordelia seemed to say things not specific at times, she never lies, especially about family and that's one thing Angel agrees on -- those three are family, and he couldn't imagine loosing either.
"What about it?" He finally asks, ignoring the thought of Doyle's soon possible death.
"She seemed a little stressed." Doyle replied trying to refrain from eye contact... he didn't really want to sound to snoopy, but she meant the world to him and had to know what changed her personality today.
"She has allot on her mind." Angel replied entering a room with a meal still sitting on the table. "Doyle." he pointed towards the meal.
"Signs of life." Doyle said examining the place.
"I smell something." Angel mentioned.
Doyle tastes some of the food, "Still warm. They left in a hurry."
"Not food." Angel throws a carpet aside revealing a trap door. "Fear." They open the trap door and shine their flashlights into it revealing a huddled mass of demons of all ages. "Don't be afraid. It's okay. We're here to help."
Cordy was driving down a crowded road and honks at the car in front of her then pulls all the way from the right, across the middle and into the left lane.
"Slow poke! I don't remember it being this crowded. I'm going to be late." Cordelia pulls ahead of another car in front of her. "My god Angel, this better work." Cordelia breathed holding in her emotions. "Don't you break down now Cordelia." She assured herself before pulling the truck in front of the building and parking it. She quickly jumped out looking at her watch. "Ok we're a head of time. This is going to work."
She rushed inside the building down the hallway of the building. "Hello? Angel? Doyle? Hello?" Cordy gasps as some of the demons step into the hallway catching her a bit off guard.
Doyle pushes through the demons, "Cordy, it's okay. We're here to help them."
Cordelia let's off a sigh, "I know. They just scared me." She smiled to Doyle then began to head towards the room.
"Woe now. Can't go in there. Angel's busy with documents." Doyle said holding Cordelia back, she looks to her watch then back up to Doyle worried.
"We don't have time for documents." She pleaded.
"I'm sure the boat won't leave without us." Doyle replied; Cordelia didn't respond to that. It wasn't the thought of the boat leaving that she was afraid of, it's the thought that time, was now catching up with them to where Doyle will die.
"Angel!?" She shouted surprising Doyle a bit; Angel came out of the room, he could tell Cordelia was in a hurry.
"Cordelia. Is the boat ready?" He asked trying to keep his mind at ease for the moment.
"Yes. Mr. Harbor Joe and his Queen Victoria is all set. Now can we go?" Cordelia asked hastily.
"You two get everyone on the ship. I'm going to see what I can do about the scourge." Angel replied walking past the two.
"No! Angel that's not the plan." Cordelia spat catching a hold of his arm and holding him back
"It'll slow things down Cordelia." Doyle came to Angel's defense.
"No it'll speed things up." Angel looked to Cordelia knowing why she was so worried and wanted everything done at that second. He didn't understand how she knew what was to become of Doyle but he knew he was going to do everything in his power to not let that happen.
"Cordelia, I'm sure this will work." And with that Angel left in a hurry.
"Why do I feel like I'm out of the scoop?" Doyle asks aloud heading back into the back room. Cordelia turned to face him then looked back towards Angel; she knew he was trying-- finding any possible way to stop the future of one's fate from happening... but he wasn't there, not yet that is -- she was.. and all she wanted was for him to listen. But that's her Angel-- his vampire instincts screw with his thoughts at times-- trying whatever he could to save everyone. After a moment Cordelia finally followed Doyle into the back room. Everyone was around complaining about something and Cordelia's stomach suddenly turned into knots.
"What's wrong?" She asks bluntly.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I'm glad you're all enjoying. :) Don't forget to review and give thoughts thanks. ;)